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Meditation is a powerful way to relieve stress levels. Even with a hectic schedule, meditation done for as little as 15-20 minutes a day will achieve stress reduction.
Meditation is also inherently an excellent source of relaxation after or before a stressful event in your life. When you meditate before you go to work, it makes your entire day more enjoyable. Continued daily practice brings about astounding improvements in your overall outlook on life. Meditation is recommended and widely used for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Relax Naturally with Meditation
*What is the “alpha state” of the brain? Theta waves (3 to 8 Hz) occur during sleep but have also been observed in the deepest states of Zen meditation. Alpha waves (8 to 12 Hz) are present when your brain is in an idling default-state typically created when you’re daydreaming or consciously practicing mindfulness or meditation.
VIA Psychology Today
Treating Your Trauma with Meditation
If you’ve been through a traumatic event that’s caused anxiety you don’t seem to be able to shake, then, meditating is a very important tool to add to your daily balance tool box.
There are many techniques of meditation taught around the world. I learned Transcendental Meditation early in my adult life and that’s what I recommend. But the initial cost is high. So, keep in mind that it’s a one-time expenditure with the benefits that you use for the rest of your life. However, there are many other effective meditation techniques, as well. We will explore those in future posts.
“The affairs of the world will go on forever. Do not delay the practice of meditation.”
—Milarepa
Meditation is Not a Religion • It is a Technique
Please know that meditation itself is not a religion. This is a common stigma that keeps many people from enjoying its benefits. It is first and foremost a technique of relaxation that when regularly practiced will relieve your anxieties and enhance your overall aura of life. You may also think of it as a “practice.”
Many people use meditation in their spiritual or religious practices. But, by itself, away from all the opinions of who you should be, where you should attend church, etc., meditation is still a simple technique that anyone can practice from the privacy of their own home or in group settings.
The Best Locations for Meditating
You can meditate just about anywhere for a few seconds or minutes. Places that come to my mind are while waiting for the light to turn green, sitting on a park bench during a break from work, or at your desk to add a quick uplift to your spirits anytime, anywhere. What’s really attractive about this type of meditating is that no one sits in a lotus position unless they want to do so. So, keep it simply by thinking “comfort and loose clothing” and you’re set.
The best place for longer periods of meditation is at home. Keep those fur babies otherwise occupied because unless they are completely docile, they will interrupt your session. So simply, find your favorite chair and begin. But please keep in mind that that it doesn’t have to be a special style of chair. The only requirement is that it’s comfortable for you.
Also, consider an intention candle for prosperity and mental clarity. You might include gemstones for prosperity, ritual, and meditation. Candles add a special enhancement to your meditation experience. However, you must ensure that your candles are biodegradable with a cotton wick that produces no black smoke when lit.
Next, ensure that your clothing is loose. Clothes that bind will restrict the stress from leaving your body. Find a comfortable place to sit with your arms and legs relaxed and your head in an upright position. If you lay your head down, you’ll fall asleep and that’s a different state of mind. The state of mind we want to reach with meditation is the “alpha state”.
Please know that you do not have to sit with your legs crossed unless you want to. There is no requirement in these instructions for anything other than a comfortable sitting with your head up. Put your feet up if that feels good or place your arms on pillows – whatever you like.
How To Proceed with your meditation
When you are comfortable, take three deep breaths in and out. Then let your mind go free. It helps if you have a keyword (mantra) to repeat in your mind throughout your meditating session. You can use “Om” or any other word that comforts you and allows you to effortlessly let your mind wander while mentally repeating your mantra over and over for the entire length of your meditation.
With practice, it will become so effortless that when you silently begin to repeat your mantra, you naturally slip into the alpha state which is where your mind is able to relax and release stress.
The rest is done by your mind when you completely relax. Here is a picturesque explanation.
Think of stress as little bubbles at the bottom of a lake. These little bubbles are traumatic events in your life. When the water is all choppy and dirty, the bubbles get stuck at the bottom of the lake in the mud where they fester and continually grow larger.
When you meditate, the lake becomes still and clear. Then, those little bubbles can start rising to the top where they will be dissipated and that piece of stress will be gone from your life forever. You will still have the memory of the event but eventually, you won’t feel the trauma.
Sometimes there are a lot of stress bubbles that form around a single event and you may have to relive it over again several times during meditation to work it entirely out of your system. Again, you will still remember the event but you won’t feel the debilitating emotions surrounding that event.
“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind.”
—Buddha
Keep It Up Indefinitely!
Great! Now start that routine of 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the late afternoon. You will benefit from once per day as well. Once is better than not at all.
As you can see, there’s no great mystery to it. This simple technique works great and lasts throughout your day or refreshes you for your evening. You may also wish to explore other types of meditation such as ‘guided’, ‘chants’ or ‘music’.
Enjoy the Benefits of Meditating
As a balanced person, you are able to focus your energies on your family and business while you take effective action to move forward to achieve your dreams and goals. You will feel more relaxed and confident with each meditation session you experience.
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Conclusion
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