Is Meditation for Me?

As beautiful as life can be, it can also be full of stress. Whether it’s hefty mortgage payments, killer commutes, bosses or family members who don’t give us the credit we feel we deserve, stress can come at us from many different directions.

Surveys have uncovered some pretty disturbing statistics about stress. 33% of people feel they live with extreme stress, while 48% believe the stress in their lives has increased over the past five years. And a whopping 77% of people surveyed said they experience physical symptoms caused by stress.

What are some of these physical symptoms linked to chronic stress?

• Pain of any kind
• Sleep problems
• Autoimmune diseases
• Digestive problems
• Skin conditions, such as eczema
• Heart disease
• Weight problems
• Reproductive issues
• Thinking and memory issues

How Meditation Can Help

There is plenty of scientific research now showing that meditation can physically alter the brain and how we cope with chronic stress.  Meditation has been shown to be  effective against physical symptoms of stress such as IBS, high blood pressure, and ulcerative colitis as well as improved immune response, reduction in pain sensitivity, and a shift from negativity to positivity.

But what exactly is meditation? When people hear the word meditation, they may think of people sitting in lotus position chanting, “Ohmmm.”

But mindful meditation is simply the practice of harnessing our attention to quiet our chattering minds. Instead of letting our brains run rampant like energetic puppies, mindfulness practice focuses our attention on the now.

Some people think this sounds so simple it can’t possibly do anything, or that they won’t benefit from it.  Others think it sounds so hard to be still that they couldn’t possibly do it.  And because we live in an age of instant gratification and the promotion of psycho-chemical solutions, many people expect or want “magic bullet” solutions.

But meditation is called a “practice” for a reason. Like anything else that is beneficial to your mind and body (i.e., sound nutrition and exercise), it takes commitment and persistence to reap those benefits.

Mindfulness Tips for Beginner Meditators

If you are interested in trying Mindfulness meditation for yourself, here are a few key tips:

• Get comfortable – you don’t have to sit in the lotus pose. You can sit in a comfortable chair or even lie down. The trick is to be comfortable enough that your body sensations don’t distract you, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep.  Remember to turn off the volume on your phone and other electronic devices while you are practicing meditation.

• Don’t try to control your breath, simply breathe naturally, staying aware of your breath coming in and breath going out.

•  The goal is to return to the breath in the present moment each time the mind wanders somewhere.  Simply witness or observe the arising thoughts, emotions, body sensations or environmental stimuli without judgment and then return your attention to the breath.  This moment of awareness is mindfulness.

• Start with just a few minutes and build from there.  Don’t try to be perfect. There is no perfection in life or meditation, so just keep practicing every day!

If you find that you could use some extra help dealing with the stress in your life, feel free to get in touch with me.  I’d be happy to explore treatment options with you and talk about how I may be able to help.

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