Austin Meditation

Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Seasonal meditations can put you in harmony with the flux and flow of the earth’s rhythm and make the changing of the seasons a time for reflection and renewal. Find your meditation spot and get into the right posture. Begin to breathe slowly and deeply. Close your eyes. Seasonal meditations are generally designed to lead your focus toward the specific characteristics or phenomena of the season.

Winter Meditation

During the winter, there are several marvelous, nature-oriented phenomena that can draw your focus and bring variety to your meditation, especially if you live in a cold climate. Try a snow meditation. Imagine different kinds of snowflakes; they should all be unique. Notice as these imagined snowflakes begin to fall, and keep your focus on their distinct characteristics and, of course, their grace. As they start to fall thicker and faster, imagine yourself standing in a field, newly blanketed in snow. Allow the purity of the snow to represent positive energy that is being reflected inside of you.

Autumn Meditation

A similar meditation can be used as the year wanes into autumn. This time, you’ll be focusing on leaves. This mediation will be more hands on. Take a walk in the crisp air, collecting fallen leaves of different colors and textures. During your meditation, focus on the warm colors of these tree-gifts. Focus on how the colors make you feel, and as you touch the leaves, notice the different sensations they produce. Imagine the leaves falling around you.

Spring and Summer Meditation

Spring and summer meditations help you focus on the life burgeoning around you. Imagine or focus on the feeling of the sun warming you. There are no clouds in the sky. Imagine yourself walking in a majestic grove of trees. They are towering over you, seeming almost to meet at the top. Notice how the sunlight creates changing, beautiful patterns on the ground. Notice the abundance around you: the flowers, trees, and wildlife. When you are ready to come out of meditation, turn around and take the path back to where you started, ending where you began.

Obstetricians say that pregnant mothers are not putting their babies at risk when they experience normal, work-related, school-related, or even just being-pregnant-while-taking-care-of-two-kids-and-and-a-husband-related stress. But however much this may reassure you about the health of your baby, you also need to take care of your own well-being. Practicing meditation during your pregnancy can reduce your stress and help you feel more aware of your changing body and the baby inside of you.

Practicing meditation is best done with an experienced teacher. Joining a class will help you focus and learn the mantras. It will also give you the opportunity to talk to other pregnant women who are turning to meditation for healthier pregnancies.

Meditation during pregnancy may require a few variations from normal meditation practices. When you find a space in which to focus, making sure you’re comfortable may mean that you begin your meditation lying on your back, perhaps with a pillow cushioning your lower back to give it more support. If you are comfortable sitting up, put your back against a chair.

When you focus on your breathing, you will also become more aware of your body and the connection between your mental, physical and spiritual well-being. If you practice meditation every day, as is recommended, you will become more in tune with the changes happening inside of you. You will have time to reduce your own stress and commune with the life developing inside of you.

The experience of being able to focus and relax your mind, bringing yourself into equilibrium and harmony, are good strategies, not only to reduce stress during your pregnancy, but also pain, even during labor. The practice of focused breathing can relax you, but the most important thing you can take away from your meditation practice is a positive and philosophical attitude of mind. When you feel discomfort,  you will have disciplined your mind to be able to focus on other things, which will reduce the perception of pain. You could repeat a mantra or focus on the positive aspects of the event of childbirth.

According the Princeton’s WordNet Search, the act of meditation is the “continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature.” While meditation may seem more spiritual and, therefore, unappealing to some as a means of dealing with the struggles of life, there are actually many proven health benefits derived from the act of meditation.

According to HealthandYoga.com, meditation as seen an increase in use as a means of managing life threatening conditions, as well as aiding to cope with and even reverse mental illnesses. Meditation also assists individuals in accelerated learning programs as they work to improve mental capacity and retain information.

Due to the relaxing effect that meditation has, there are specific and proven health benefits that you may not know about:

•    Meditation slows your respiratory rate and decreases the amount of oxygen needed to function.
•    Meditation lowers your heart rate and increases blood flow throughout the body.
•    Meditation allows cardiac patients to tolerate exercise better, improving their health.
•    Meditation helps those with hypertension (high blood pressure) to gain better control of the condition.
•    Meditation decreases the number of anxiety attacks for individuals in high stress situations.
•    Meditation increases the production of serotonin in the body. Low levels of serotonin are associated with obesity, insomnia, headaches and depression, so an increase in production will help to improve both mood and health.
•    Meditation eases the affects of chronic diseases such as severe allergies or arthritis.
•    Meditation decreases the severity of symptoms associated with the Pre-menstrual Syndrome in women.
•    Meditation is effective in speeding recovery after an operation.
•    Meditation makes the immune system more active.

Meditation doesn’t have to be a series of yoga positions and breathy chants to be effective. While many people find yoga a great means of relaxation, meditation can also simply be a few moments each day where you sit comfortably, breathe deeply, relax and work to clear your mind of life’s stresses. That is the ultimate goal.

Have you ever heard the term “alternative medicine?” This is a term coined in Western culture and encompasses medical techniques and treatments that don’t fall within the standard realm of medicine, as conventionally practiced by doctors and health services.

According to the American National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the following techniques and treatments fall under the term alternative medicine:

•    Meditation
•    Traditional Chinese medicine
•    Naturopathy
•    Herbalism
•    Acupuncture
•    Homeopathy
•     Yoga
•    Hypnosis
•    Nutrition-based therapies

While these techniques fall under the category of alternative medicine, even old traditional wive’s tales can fall under the term. For example, there are supposedly various ways to determine the gender of your baby prior to conceiving, such as by a diet rich in potassium in order to have a baby boy.

A study called "The prevalence of complementary/alternative medicine in cancer: a systematic review" (Cancer 83 (4): 777–82) published in August of 1998 revealed that, in 13 countries, approximately 31 percent of cancer patients used some form of alternative medicine as a treatment for their terminal illness.

Alternative medicines may be based in traditional medical practices and may even incorporate some elements of them. Some are often rooted in folk knowledge and spiritual belief systems. What some people term as “new age” often encompasses newly discovered methods in approaches to alternative medicine. Truly, there is no one defining characteristic for a treatment or technique that makes it “alternative” other than the fact that it is likely not something your doctor would prescribe or recommend for you.

The reason that alternative medicine has little clout in the traditional medical world is because most techniques and treatments lack recurring evidence to support their effectiveness. The irony is, if scientific methods and studies show a technique or treatment of alternative medicine to be effective, it then becomes mainstream and added to the realm of traditional medical practices, meaning that it is no longer considered alternative medicine.

Life in our age today carries with it an implicit expending of energy against the odds which we encounter constantly everywhere around us. Stress today is considered today as a way of life for many achievers and has become a part of the lifestyle of many. The impending consequence of a stress filled life is irregular bodily and mental functions. Since Transcendental Meditation was introduced to the world, research has shown that this meditative technique stimulates specific key functions of the human anatomy, resulting in improved functioning of the body, mind and being.

When the brain has experienced prolonged stressful situations, it gives up rational thinking and turns towards primitive methods of responding. Sometimes, the stressed mind will allow strong emotions to take over, creating a snowballing effect, until something can be done about it. Signs of stress include impulsive behavior, poor memory, loss of attention, alcohol and diet abuse, sleep disorders, low self confidence and esteem, worries, anxieties and depression. The practice of Transcendental Meditation reduces stress, energizes the body and mind, and increases focus and willful control over the functions of life. Stress is also the reason for most heart illnesses. The symptoms mentioned above create and interact with heart functioning, causing faster heart rate, increased blood pressure, and other coronary illnesses. Transcendental Meditation, when relieving stress dilates blood vessels all over the body, reduces blood pressure, reduces thickening of the heart arteries, and normalizes other coronary functions. A normal functioning body and mind will reduce hospital visits, costs and ensure a prolonged and healthier life.

Transcendental Meditation has proved to have aided creative and intelligent minds in the search for the self and delve at arriving and inventing solutions and ideas of great value and admiration. Students introduced to this meditation technique have shown increased happiness and reduced anxiety in classrooms. Employees regularly practicing Transcendental Meditation have shown better leadership skills, improved work relationships, decreased stress and improved productivity at work. Transcendental Meditation practiced by social groups has known to have improved social functioning and consciousness to work towards world peace.

Transcendental Meditation is a meditation technique practiced by the individual to help rest his consciousness and regress into the innermost self of his/her being, thereby experiencing the silence and unified forces of his mind. This meditative technique is the easy version of the intensely practiced meditations developed by ancient sages in India. It was introduced to the world by the ‘Maharashi’ (leader of all Hindu sages), in the year 1958.

Transcendental Meditation is easy to perform by any individual. It is done by sitting in a meditative posture, preferably on a platform with legs folded, with the back and neck erect, eyes closed and in complete silence. During this period of silence, the individual lets go of his conscious thoughts and feelings, finds a deeper level of a comfortable position in his mind and stays indifferent that way. The idea is to let go of the subjective distractions, discover and nurture the real meaning and purpose of his/her life and prepare the body and mind to execute it. While the spirit being of the individual is being organized, coherence and control is retained in the physical being. It is suggested that this technique be practiced for 20 to 30 minutes, twice a day.

Transcendental Meditation is easy to practice and has no hard and fast rules of subjection. This technique is practiced by more than five million people worldwide, of all demography, religions and lifestyle, turning this technique to be the most popular meditative technique of all time. Research has proven Transcendental Meditation to give better results to those practicing this technique in terms of maintaining sound health, treat disorders and improve functions in school, profession and in society. Psychological, neurological, cardiovascular and other physiological functions reinforce with improvement when this technique is practiced regularly over a period of time. School students regularly practicing this technique are reported to show increased happiness and reduce classroom stress. Professionals practicing this meditative technique have experienced increased leadership behavior, reduced anxiety and impulsiveness and improved job performance. A great number of religious leaders also practice Transcendental Meditation and have found it useful.

If you experience chronic pain you know how frustrating and depressing it can be to deal with on a daily basis. Well, there is help out there available for you, if you know where to look. As a form of alternative medicine, meditation is practiced to help a person receive physical relaxation as well as mental calmness. In general terms, meditation is time spent sitting in a relaxed position and atmosphere for an uninterrupted 5 – 20 minute time period and clearing your mind of the many thoughts that typically occupy it.

Meditation can be used help with many things such as elevating your mood, lowering skin temperature, decreasing blood pressure, significantly reducing stress in your body, lowering adrenaline, and even altering hormone levels to bring more balance and peace into your life. And you don’t have to do meditation for months and months before seeing or feeling any results. The benefits of meditation can even be felt during your first session – the first time you do it!

It wasn’t always the case, but nowadays meditation is considered to be a part of mainstream health care and very beneficial for people to start practicing. A study done back in 1972 (regarding transcendental meditation) showed that doing this type of meditation had a direct effect on a person’s metabolism by lowering some biochemical byproducts produced in the body by stress like lactic acid, decreasing blood pressure and lowering the heart rate while also promoting good brain waves.

Meditation is even being used in hospitals now to assist in treatment for chronic or terminal illness cases for reducing stress and helping to improve immune systems. Medical personnel agree that mental factors like stress really do contribute to the decrease in a person’s overall health and wellness. Therefore, there are a lot of studies and tests being performed in order to research and discover the effects of the mind and body on illness and disease.

So, do a little research and find a center near you that offers meditation classes and start to learn how to practice meditation and in turn improve your overall health!

Though yoga and a visit to the local ashram may be enough for a long week, a tired soul requires more tough love and endurance than thirty minutes of deep breathing! Residential drug treatment centers can help your loved one to recoup after a long stint as a user or abuser of prescription or illegal drugs. Many of these centers specialize in a naturalized method of rehabilitation, focusing on yoga, meditation, and natural remedies. If you want your loved one to become a clearer version of him or herself, then it’s time to consider one of these intensive treatment centers for your friend.

Yoga is said to soothe the soul and to relax the mind. Studies have proven that yoga is a useful strategy in the alleviation of stress, and the management of ongoing stress. Whether you are facing a financial crisis, the struggle of conforming to a new role in your workplace, or the death of a loved one, yoga can actually reset your mind for a few peaceful moments, and re-center your soul on pleasant thoughts and a serene vibration. Even for those who are not facing dramatic situations and life changing events, yoga can serve to relax the body and prepare it for restful sleep.

Many residential drug treatment centers focus on deep breathing as a method of reducing stress and calming oneself, in order to re-direct energy in a positive direction. If you or someone you love has an addiction, then deep breathing may be one tactic for the alleviation of temptation and stress. In tandem with yoga and other strategies, deep breathing could help a former drug user to re-assimilate into a life without abusive habits and tendencies. Treatment centers are a good choice for people who are addicted, but if you know someone who merely needs to adjust negative habits, yoga and deep breathing alone may be enough to help your friend.

Remember the carefree days of childhood? When we were in the midst of it there were many times we thought life was so hard. Now we know how easy most of us really had it back then. In our world today as adults there is so much hussle and bussle around all of us and so many things vying for our precious attention that it is hard to stay on top of it all. We are constantly being pulled in a hundred different directions. Just in normal day to day life we have issues to deal with such as work, spouses, children, errands, bills, cleaning, yard work, house work, staying in touch with friends and family, exercising, cooking, and the list goes on and on!

Many of us have a consistent desire to escape the craziness surrounding us and to find a way to bring more peace and quiet into our lives. We crave more time to ourselves where we can relax our bodies and clear our minds and look inward and gain focus once again. Meditation is a great technique to learn to help us be able to do just that. It can also provide many spiritual benefits to you as well.

Meditation brings your body, mind and spirit into harmony with each other and increases your wisdom and compassion which in turn can create a deeper relationship with God. It provides peace of mind and happiness and helps you keep things in perspective so you don’t get so overwhelmed with the things you have to deal with. You can experience things like attitude changes, increased acceptance of yourself, enlightenment, and better see your purpose in life during times of meditation. These spiritual elements of meditation are very beneficial to each of us and can help you achieve that sense of peace you have been searching for and need in your life. So look into learning meditation and find out for yourself the great benefits it has to offer for your mind, body and spirit.

The dust hasn’t settled over the electronic cigarette debate, and doesn’t seem likely to for a long time either. The jury’s still out on the safety of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigs, but it won’t hurt to see what your options are. In case you are planning to buy an e-cig, here are a few things to keep in mind.

An electronic cigarette is an extremely personal item, so it pays to know your choices before committing to one. In case you’re not even sure whether you’d like the switch to e-cigs after all, it would be wise to choose a brand that comes with a money-back guarantee. Starter kits can set you back by anything between $60 and $200, but it is worth the money, especially when you consider that a regular smoker can spend anything upwards of $1600 every year on cigarettes.

What you should be concerned about is whether the e-cig cartridge is refillable. Not only will this save you money in the long run, it will also give you the choice of avoiding propylene glycol. There are no studies showing how safe it is to breathe propylene glycol through an atomizer.

Going online to buy your e-cig is always a better option simply because of the huge price difference involved. Using coupon codes could enhance the benefits further. Another point to consider is whether you want a blue LED, which tells other people that you’re smoking an e-cig, or a red one that looks like a regular cigarette has been lit up. Electronic cigarettes are promoted as extensions of a user’s lifestyle and personality, so you might want to think on the lines of “Blue smoke or green smoke?” before making your choice.

The debate on electronic cigarettes is still on but one thing’s for sure; e-cigs are definitely a safer alternative to conventional cigarettes. So do some research and get started with electronic cigarettes.