Meditating can be an extremely beneficial way to decrease stress, clear your mind and help maintain an emphasis on what’s important to you. Part of feeling good about yourself and leading a balanced lifestyle is honing your personal goals and putting a name to the qualities you like about yourself (and no, this doesn’t have to involve reciting affirmations to yourself in front of the mirror every morning).
Defining what actually classifies an act as ‘meditation’ is difficult, particularly because there are so many varying techniques and cultures from which the skill has evolved. At its core, meditation has been described as a state of bare attention, or a focused yet relaxed state of mind.
Simply sitting quietly and concentrating on the action of breathing can achieve this, as well as walking in the park – the point is to de-clutter your mind and overcome internal chatter.
Research has shown that meditation activates the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for involuntary functions such as digestion and blood pressure, often negatively affected by stress. It makes sense that when stress is eased, stress-related health problems are lessened and general wellbeing is enhanced. Take half an hour for some ‘you time’ to promote calmness – it’s a simple and effective way to integrate meditation into your routine.
So, given the definition of meditation remains somewhat murky, how do you know if you’re doing it right? The answer across the board is that if you feel better than you did before you began, you’re doing it correctly!
A daily fitness routine can act as a form of meditation as it requires a certain level of concentration and can create a sense of freedom in the mind. Experts say modern versions of meditation are just as effective as their ancient counterparts because the techniques have been adapted to suit modern- day lifestyles and associated stresses.
Simply put, when it comes to reintegrating a sense of the holistic into your lifestyle and radiating from within, slowly introducing realistic and achievable goals into your day-to- day is the key. CBM
“Take half an hour for some ‘you time’ to promote calmness – it’s a simple and effective way To integrate meditation into your routine.”
