Did you know that more and more research is discovering that the mind, heart and body can improve with regular meditation?
With the holidays coming up it is important to stop and think about your body. We tend to put our bodies in a lot of stress without even realizing it.
The stress hormones released from our bodies produce “flight” or “fight” responses. They protect the body and prepare our bodies for quick reactions; however, it’s the chronic stress that can affect the overall health of the body.
Anxiety, depression, insomnia are just some ways that the body gets affected with chronic stress.
Different types of Meditation
- Concentration Meditation/ Mindfulness Meditation
This is the traditional form of meditation. It involves focusing on a single point and can be as simple as following your breath. Music can be a great tool for this type of meditation, or just simply by focusing on a single word like saying “Om”.
Close your eyes. Sit still. Don’t talk. Take a deep breath, Exhale slowly. From your shoulder and just breathe.
As a beginner, I suggest to initially start meditating for a few minutes and then work up to longer durations.
Benefits: Reduces stress and helps to relax the mind and body.
- Moving Meditation
This kind of meditation allows your thoughts to flow freely while moving. Some examples are tai chi, qigong and walking meditation.
Benefits: Reduces stress by allowing the body to have an outlet, whether physical/mental or spiritual to release its energy. Stimulates creative thinking and problem solving.
- Creative Meditation
This is a harder type of meditation where you have to get into a “creative zone”. Great to do with a group that is doing the same thing. This type of meditation allow new creative ideas to flow through your body by using different techniques such as brainstorming, free writing and just simply thinking.
Benefits: Taps into creation of new ideas. Allows creative expressions. Encourages creative collaboration.
Whatever type of meditation that you choose to do, the goal is to relax your body and let your thoughts move into a creative flow.
The key is to be consistent and to make time every day to sit, breathe, and connect with yourself.
