The mindful merits of meditation

Meditation has been proven to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, decrease physical pain, ease symptoms of depression, improve sleep and memory, increase focus and concentration, and lessen impulsive, emotional reactions. There are four simple steps to begin a meditation. • Get comfortable. It helps to have a specific area in the home designated for meditation. Sometimes lighting a candle or playing relaxing music can be helpful. The most important thing is to get in a comfortable position, either lying down, sitting in a cozy chair or standing up. This is all based on your own idea of comfort. • Become an observer. The observation is of your body, and it helps if your eyes are closed. Notice the sensations, the warmth or coolness, tightness or pulsing. Acknowledge how your body feels rather than fight the sensations. Be aware of your thoughts, positive or negative, racing or quiet. • Begin categorizing. Thoughts can swirl in your mind, so it helps to put a label on them. Are your thoughts assuming the worst? Are they critical? Random? Do you have several types of thoughts, or just one? Try not to suppress your thoughts. Let them be what they are, identify them, then let them go. • Think about your breath. Begin by taking a deep breath in, then slowly releasing it. It sometimes helps to breathe in for three counts, then breathe out for five counts. Try doing this for about five minutes. Your mind can and will jump from thought to thought, but the breath should be steady. Now that you have prepared your body for meditation, you can begin. Finding a meditation is easy — there are apps for your smartphone, YouTube videos, or you can even find a written one to have read to you. Progressive muscle relaxation can provide an immediate sense of relaxation as it helps your muscles to tense then relax. This is a great meditation exercise to participate in before going to bed. If you are doing this type of meditation, please do not tense your muscles to the point of strain. Body scan meditation allows an individual to identify unconscious holding patterns and to release them with one's own awareness. This meditation is proven to significantly reduce sleep problems and improve symptoms and severity of fatigue and depression. Mindfulness meditation is something anyone can do just about anywhere they choose. It helps an individual to calmly notice their surroundings, including the sights, sounds and smells they are experiencing. Spiritual meditation is used in Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Daosim and other religious faiths. This type of meditation can be practiced at home or in a house or worship. In many ways, it is like a prayer as it allows an individual to reflect on the silence and seek a deeper connection with a higher being. Meditation is simple in concept, so it become easy to get discouraged if an individual finds they struggle with it. To an untrained mind, meditation is difficult and impossible to master quickly. If one has patience, however, they will find themselves growing in discipline and ability. If you would like to learn about meditation, or begin meditating, a therapist can be a good place to start. Shelly Coonrod is a licensed professional counselor at Pathways Counseling Center in Ottawa.