When you think of meditation the first thing that may spring to mind is someone sitting crossed legged, eyes closed chanting ‘ohm’. However there’s a lot more to meditation than you might think and it is widely believed that practicing meditation techniques regularly is one of the single most important things you can do to ensure good health in both mind, body and spirit.
It goes without saying that meditation has been around for a long time and is an important part of many cultures and religions. The main aim of meditation is to centre the mind and control thoughts and distractions. This takes the mind into a relaxed state.
There are many ways to practice meditation. The first is known as concentrated meditation where the person focuses on an object, a thought, a colour or repeated phrases (this is where ‘ohm’ comes into it!). There are many religions that use this method.
There is also active meditation such as walking meditation or some yoga practices.
In terms of benefits it has been proven to be an effective way of reducing stress levels and managing pain. It can alter the heart rate, your depth and rate of breathing, the speed of your metabolism and your brain activity. Along with reducing stress, meditation brings other health benefits as a result – reduction in migraines, lower risk of heart attack, reduced blood pressure and restful sleep.