WELL BEING TIP
Hands Up who knows what Meditation is?
Jazzy Fingers for all those who practice it on a regular basis…
Now, all of those with your hands still up, or down ask yourself this, “am I giving my brain a break from the stress of life, for a few minutes every day?”
And no, having a ciggie break or a chat over your expresso doesn’t count. We’re talking about a total shut down, defcon 6 – operation status ‘silent….’
Why do we do it? Why are we all discovering how beneficial it is, and something we should mindfully apply every day. It gives us a chance to just stop, breathe, calm down, relax, settle the mind and body, and because of all these short-term benefits to our nervous system, as noted below:
- lower blood pressure
- improved blood circulation
- lower heart rate
- less perspiration
- slower respiratory rate
- less anxiety
- lower blood cortisol levels
- more feelings of well-being
- less stress
- deeper relaxation
What is meditation? It is “an approach to training the mind, similar to the way that fitness is an approach to training the body.”
We’re not going to teach you how to do it here, but we are going to urge you to look into incorporating it into your daily life in some way, to help you cope with the stresses of modern day life and the affects of stress on the body.
There are many forms: Empty Mind Meditation, Walking Meditation,
Concentration Meditation, Candle Meditation, Bell Meditation, Guided
Meditation, Cultivated Compassion Meditation (for the Buddhist Monks among us),
Sitting Meditation, and Transcendental Meditation etc.
At Brain Friendly Training we use the Sitting Meditation during working
hours. We use Flotation Tank appointment breaks for deeper meditation
after hours (we recommend ‘The
Fountain of Youth’ in Alderley,
Brisbane) at least once a month, occasionally attend Guided Bell or Healing
Bowl Meditation workshops; and of an evening, Lying Meditation, prior to sleep
… which usually involves snoring half way through, so can’t be 100% counted
as successful. We also enjoy a Bubble Meditation – Laurie
with some in a glass of amber fluid in front of the telly, and Lindel more in a
tub with a bath bomb…both after hours of course, once home and the working
day is done.
We’re not going to teach you how to do it here, but we are going to urge you to look into incorporating it into your daily life in some way, to help you cope with the stresses of modern day life and the affects of stress on the body.
All silliness aside, the point is to RELAX. Give yourself a break. And once you try Meditation, in short bursts to begin with to build up your ability to calm your overactive mind, you will find it has enormous benefit on your daily coping skills. And you will want to learn more about this amazing skill …guaranteed.
An easy way to start is to download the free ‘Smiling Mind’ or ‘Head Space’ Apps on your mobile and start working through the exercises. It is easy to do, easy to follow, and records your progress.
Go on, download one, you will be amazed at the benefits! There are a heap of guided meditations to be found on YouTube, so it is guaranteed there is one there that will suit you. Ommmmmmm
Oh, and Jazzy Finger Meditators, you can stop and put your hands down now. You already how great it is. Well done!
