3 Ways Meditation Can Reduce Stress and Bring Health Inside Out
Meditation – where you literally do ‘nothing’ – can lessen severe migraines, acute depression, and even improve a broken heart!
“I always thought that falling in love was much easier than coming out of it. But the practice of meditation changed my opinion. Just a few minutes of daily practice helped me cope with a broken relationship much faster than what otherwise would have taken several months!” – Vineet Nambiar, daily meditator.
PAIN: a four-letter word that plays a big role in our lives. It may start small: a headache, physical or emotional wound, or a troubled relationship. There’s no escaping that some pain inevitably appears. But we can avoid suffering. Meditation, a simple technique with profound effects, can help as proved by scientific studies.
1. Meditation heals your body naturally
In a scientific statement from the American Heart Association on Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, many studies are being done to gauge the benefits of meditation in heart diseases and healing.
Did you know that our emotions have a direct impact on our bodies? Our outer demeanor reflects the way we feel inside. That’s why you might have noticed that your health drastically goes down when you are stressed out or depressed for a long time. Stress is one of the primary reasons for poor health. It may manifest in the form of diabetes, hypertension and other such lifestyle diseases.
When we meditate, the mind becomes calm and relaxed. Meditation helps release stress from the mind and body. When the mind is quiet, the emotions balance and the effects show in the body. We stay healthy and disease-free. In fact, consistent practice for a period of time can even impact certain prolonged health conditions.
Ramila Patel, a 52-year-old housewife from Mumbai, witnessed this power. She’d been suffering from chronic migraines for 20 years and had to take at least four tablets of paracetamol a day! With daily practice of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, she has completely recovered! She hasn’t had a single migraine attack for the past three years, since starting the practice.
“We use only 30 percent of our total lung capacity; 90 percent of the impurities in the system are thrown out through the breath. When you put attention on the breath, it has immense potential to heal. Doing meditation and pranayama can eliminate the cause of disease.” - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
2. Not just outside; meditation strengthens you from within
A study at Harvard Medical School suggests that meditation, even for a short time, can help decrease anxiety and depression.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD sifted through nearly 19,000 meditation studies and they found 47 trials that addressed those issues and met their criteria for well-designed studies. Their findings, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, suggest that mindful meditation can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain.
Who wouldn’t want to stay calm and happy in every situation? Waiting for the bus, stuck in a traffic jam or dealing with the boss at work – these are little situations in everyday life that can easily succeed in throwing us off balance. The trick is to keep your cool, and meditation saves us from losing it.
Meditation is a good antidote to stress. Daily practice helps release deeply stored stress in the system so the mind is peaceful, happy and free. With such a frame of mind, you naturally tend to feel more energetic and work effectively. There is improved focus and better results.
Anurag Suhag, a 24-year-old medical student from Bangalore, suffered from depression and had been on anti-depressants for some time. His studies demanded focus, but although books would be open before him, his mind would wander away to the past; negative thoughts would keep attacking him over and over again.
After about a month of practicing breathing techniques and meditation, he is off anti depressants and feels happier, more peaceful and focused. Most importantly, he can now choose when to let his mind stroll to the past or to put his attention on the current task.
3. Meditation helps you to deal with emotions as easily as watching a movie!
Recent research has shown that meditation has the capacity to heal your brain and pump up your mood. A few minutes can work like an instant mood changer.
Besides the physical and mental levels, meditation also works as an emotional therapy.
Daily meditators share that with regular practice, they gradually start feeling that events just come and go without touching the person. Then, whether an accident or a quarrel happens, you gain the ability to pass off troubles and move on.
So when you have this natural technique for solving your big or small problems, why worry? Just meditate!
Quick meditation tips:
- Take time out - Just 20 minutes can work wonders for the mind and body. Like brushing your teeth and bathing, make meditation a daily morning routine. Then, practice for a few minutes before dinner - it will re-energize you for the second half of the day.
- Meditate with friends - It’s natural to speak your heart to your best friend when you feel troubled. Do that, but also meditate. It will add to the helpful effects that sharing brings. You can even listen to a guided meditation on your speaker phone so that both of you experience bliss together.
- Meditate anywhere - Wherever you’re comfortable: in a car (when you are not driving), at home, work or in a park, just close your eyes for a few minutes and relax.
You can start your journey towards mental, physical and emotional health with a simple and beautiful program called Sahaj Samadhi Meditation, a way to take the first positive step!
By Pritika Nair and Elizabeth Herman
Based on inputs by Bharathy Harish, a Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Expert
