Meditation
Meditation allows us to slow down and appreciate who we are and the world that we live in. It allows the hustle and bustle of everyday life to fall away, allowing you to become more aware of your thoughts, your feelings, your body, and the world around you.
Usually in our day-to-day lives, we're constantly doing. Even when we're “relaxing”, we might be watching TV, reading, or chatting with friends. Meditation is non-doing. Instead we just observe what is going on from moment to moment, without trying to change anything. We learn to listen to ourselves more, and to pay attention to what we need. Often we know instinctively what is best for us, but sometimes we don't listen because we're too busy, or just not tuned in. Meditation turns that around, and allows us to reconnect with ourselves, and with the world around us.
People who meditate regularly:
- tend to have more positive emotions and are less moody and irritable,
- are less likely to suffer from stress, anxiety and depression,
- have improved immune system function,
- are able to relax deeply,
- have easier breathing,
- have lower cholesterol levels,
- are more able to cope with pain, and
- have normalised blood pressure.
There are many different meditation techniques but most of those I teach involve giving something your full attention. This allows the mind to quieten down and the body follows leading to a deep sense of calm and wellbeing.