Meditation – where you literally do ‘nothing’ – has the ability to cure severe migraine, acute depression, and even heal 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 is very much a part of our lives. It may be as small a deal as a headache or wound or it could be a troubled relationship – the fact is pain is inevitable. But what can be avoided is the suffering that follows. Meditation – a simple technique with profound effects – can help.
Heal your body naturally
A research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School showed that regular practice of meditation helped reduce heart diseases by 45%, high blood pressure by 43%, significantly reduced cholesterol levels and helped slow down ageing.
Did you know that our emotions have a direct impact on the body? The way we feel inside reflects outside. That is why you might have noticed that the health of some people drastically goes down when they are stressed out or depressed for a long time. Stress is one of the primary reasons for poor health. Sometimes it manifests itself 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 are balanced and the effect shows on the body. We stay healthy and free of diseases. In fact, consistent practice of meditation for a period of time can even help cure certain prolonged health conditions.
Ramila Patel, a 52-year-old housewife from Mumbai, is a witness to this. She had been suffering from chronic migraine for 20 years and would have to take at least four tablets of paracetamol a day! With daily practice of Sudarshan Kriya and meditation, she shares that she was completely cured! She has never had a single migraine attack since three years.
“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 to the breath, it has immense potentiality to heal. Doing meditation and pranayama can eliminate the cause of disease.” - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Not just outside; become strong within
A research at the Harvard Medical School suggests tha meditation, even for a short time, can help decrease anxiety and depression.
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 which can easily succeed in throwing us off balance. The trick is to keep your cool and meditation comes as a savior here.
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, was a patient of depression and had been on anti-depressants for some time. Being a student of medicine, his studies demanded focus, which Anurag was just not able to put. His books would be open before him but his mind would wander away to the past and negative thoughts would keep attacking him time and again.
After about a month of practicing breathing techniques and meditation, he is off anti-depressants and feels happier, peaceful and more focused. Most importantly, he says that he can now choose when to let his mind stroll to the past and when to put his attention to the current task.
Dealing with emotions now as easy 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 of meditation can work like an instant mood changer.
Besides healing at the physical and mental level, meditation also works as an emotional therapy.
Daily meditators share that with regular practice, you gradually start feeling that events in life just come and go and you remain untouched by them. Then whether it’s an accident or a quarrel with someone, you gain the ability to pass them off and move on.
So when you have meditation as a natural healer to all your big or small problems, why worry? Just meditate!
Quick meditation tips to heal yourself:
- Take time out – Just 20 minutes of meditation can work wonders for the mind and body. Like brushing your teeth and bathing, make meditation your daily morning routine. Then, try and meditate for a few minutes before lunch – it will re-energize you for the second half of the day.
- Meditate with friends – It is natural to speak your heart out to your best friend when you are troubled. Do that, but also make sure to meditate. It will only add to the healing effect that sharing with your friend gives. You can even turn on a guided meditation on your speaker phone so that your friend and you both meditate together.
- Meditate anywhere ¬ Wherever you are 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.
Inspired by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's wisdom talks
By Pritika Nair
Based on inputs by Bharathy Harish, a Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Expert
