It's not just for mountaintop monks anymore. More and more people are discovering the plethora of benefits that come with a regular meditation practice.In my yoga classes, I have my students spend the first five minutes of class in meditation. It helps settle the brain, quiet the body and allows them to set their intention for class. It's amazing how the energy in class shifts from that go-go-go frenzy to a relaxed, slowed down pace that softens the start of our yoga practice.
Meditation has been studied by the scientific community over the last few years and according to Psychology Today:
"Neuroscientists have found that meditators shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex - brain waves in the stress-prone right frontal cortex move to the calmer left frontal cortex. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. There is also less activity in the amygdala, where the brain processes fear."
If you would like to feel more peace, less stress,and put a stop to your constant flurry of thoughts buzzing in your head, then try beginning a regular meditaiton practice. Even just 5-minutes a day and you'll begin to see benefits.
1. Find a quiet place for your meditation and then sit down cross-legged or on a chair. Sit up straight.
2. Check in with your body to see if you can release any areas of tension before you begin (jaw, shoulders, hips).
3. Take two big breaths in and out through your nose. Allow your breathing to return back to normal.
4. Allow your eyes to become soft, and focus gently on one spot.
5. Thoughts will start to flood your mind. Dismiss each thought as it arises. View your mind like a river and each thought is a leaf that falls into the swiftly moving river. Send each leaf downstream and let it go.
After practicing meditation regularly, you learn to let go of your thoughts easily. And eventually you won't take your thoughts so seriously. Over time, you will see that you can detach yourself from your emotions, feelings and the snowball effect of your out of control thoughts and find peace within your head.
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