Meditation:

Meditation can increase brain function, eliminate stress and create peace of mind. The main idea of meditation is to train the mind to go into a self-induced mode of conciousness to achieve some benefit.  That benefit can be of a spiritual nature, of just simply to de-stress.  You can practice meditation at home by yourself or join a group atmosphere but really it should cost no money and require no external material to practice.

Meditation has been used for hundreds of years by many different religions with many different techniques. Some who meditate use prayer beads as a tool in finding their consciousness or simply focusing on the breath coming in and out of the body as in Mindfulness Mediation and a way to connect spiritually to the universe.

In over 1,000 published research studies, various methods of meditation have been linked to changes in metabolism, blood pressure, brain activation, and other bodily processes. Meditation has been used in clinical settings as a method of stress and pain reduction. [1}

A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation as explained below can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance. This 10 minutes break can make your mind calmer and more focused.
Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. Overcoming negative minds and cultivating constructive thoughts is the purpose of the transforming meditations. This is a profound spiritual practice you can enjoy throughout the day, not just while seated in meditation.

Here are a few great websites for some meditation information if you are interested in researching further.

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation/

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070

Some of the most common features in meditation include:

·         Focused attention. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. Focusing your attention is what helps free your mind from the many distractions that cause stress and worry. You can Focus your attention on such things as a specific object, an Image, a mantra, or even your breathing.

·         Relaxed breathing. This technique involves deep, even-paced breathing using the diaphragm muscle to expand your lungs. The purpose is to slow your breathing, take in more oxygen, and reduce the use of shoulder, neck and upper chest muscles while breathing so that you breathe more efficiently.

·         A quiet setting. If you're a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you're in a quiet spot with few distractions — no television, radios or cell phones. As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere, especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the grocery store.

·         A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you're sitting, lying down, walking or in other positions or activities. Just try to be comfortable so that you can get the most out of your meditation [2]

[1] National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

[2] http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070

Warm regards and love –

Erin