Using Meditation To Relieve Stress

“Meditation relieves stress”…today this seems so obvious. However, only a few decades ago meditation was almost solely discussed and practiced by those on a conscious spiritual or religious path. For the meditation curious let’s start from the beginning:

What is Meditation

Meditation is a form of alternative medicine that promotes relaxation and mental calmness through the use of controlling or suspending thoughts for a certain period of time. Since meditation involves physical and mental relaxation, it's an effective way to relax and relieve stress when you're feeling overwhelmed.

Some think that meditation is not a viable solution to eliminating stress. But research has shown that meditation works and is a practical technique for stress management.

Research Says…

One notable research on meditation's usefulness in relieving stress was done in 1968 by Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University. He conducted a series of experiments with popular meditation techniques and published his findings in the book "The Relaxation Response." He discovered that meditation has a "real effect on reducing stress and controlling the fight-or-flight response." Dr. Benson wrote that meditation increased the skin's resistance to damage or infections, slowed the heartbeat and breathing rate, and reduced oxygen consumption.

Meditation is all about consciously relaxing your mind and body for a period of time and the act of meditation is actually quite simple. Meditation does not require you to be a mystic or even spiritual. Meditation is something that anyone can do almost anywhere.

How to Meditate

Especially when you are starting, it is best to prepare yourself for meditation. Set aside a certain amount of time where you're guaranteed not to be interrupted by kids, phone calls, or other unexpected demands for your attention. Meditation doesn't require hours of practicing at a time for it to be effective in reducing stress. Start by practicing meditation in 5 to 10-minute time slots, you can then increase over time as it feels right.

It is best that you're in a quiet environment, wearing comfortable, unrestrictive clothing and you should be dressed comfortably for the temperature (whether you're indoors or outdoors) to make your meditation session as stress-fighting as possible.

Stress-relieving meditation is all about calming the mind. Once you're fully comfortable, seated on the floor or in a chair, close your eyes. One of the most popular methods of calming the mind is to focus the attention on your breathing throughout your meditation session. Try either counting your breaths or the seconds for each in and out breath (e.g. “1, 2, 3, 4 in”...“1, 2, 3, 4 out”).

Another way to control wandering thoughts when you're in a meditation session is to use soothing and pleasant mental imagery or even to stare at a candle or object. Music is also a popular way to help the mind calm down during meditation, especially rain, birds, ocean waves, trickling water, jungle noises, or other nature sounds.

The long terms desired outcome of meditation is mind stabilization. When you learn to stabilize your mind, you can control your thoughts and actions better, becoming more mindful and calm in all situations.

Yoga is Not Bendy ‘Influencers’ on Instagram

Out of the 196 Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, only two are on the asanas, or physical yoga postures, which are mainly addressed to condition one’s body so that it is not a limitation while meditating. The rest of the Yoga Sutras are all about mind stabilization and reaching higher levels of consciousness. But I won’t get too far into that.

The main thing if you are fairly new to meditation, is to be gentle with yourself. It can take a bit of time to learn to slip into meditation with relative ease, but with regular practice, preferably daily to solidify the new habit, you’ll soon discover you’ll be able to meditate almost anytime and anywhere. It is an incredible life skill and gift to yourself.

Hopefully, you have found value in this article and I look forward to bringing you more information that assists your entrepreneurial journey.

Here is an additional article with 3 powerful tips to overcome stress, beyond meditation: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/3-powerful-tips-help-manage-stress-sheli-bowman

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I am Sheli, and besides having been trained in the Yoga Sutras and have a solid daily meditation practice, my rather unusual journey has allowed me to bridge a gap between the spiritual and the strategic. As a Reiki Master of 26yrs, an advanced Soul Realignment practitioner who reads the Akashic Records, and a certified life coach, I have empowered people to align and transform for years. At the same time I am a digital marketing automation specialist, have an MBA and 3 decades of experience as a Brand Manager, Creative Director and Digital Strategy Consultant for multinationals. I now focus on guiding impact-driven coaches, lightworkers, and wellness experts to share their unique knowledge and wisdom through course creation.

Don't hesitate to message me if you would like to share your unique knowledge and expertise with the world by creating a wisdom-led course or coaching program. My Quantum Course Creation program will provide you with the proven process, and support system needed to create and successfully launch your course.

Wishing you a journey of discovery, joy, and impact!