We are constantly surrounded by the clamour of traffic, television, computers, and of course cell phones. It is no wonder then, that we often can’t hear ourselves think — or even talk. Somewhere our lives seem to have lost that quiet, alone-time. It is important to pull away from the outer world of commotion and reconnect to our inner silence.
Sit quietly with hands at your sides or in your lap. Now, with your eyes closed, start to breathe lightly and easily. Let your attention follow your breath. Continue this exercise for two to five minutes — just closing your eyes and focusing your mind on easy, natural breathing.
Focusing on the breath means keeping the mind alert and free of clutter.The mind often wanders, so this discipline trains the mind to develop focus and concentration.
Meditation is concentration. It is not really forcing your mind to be quiet; it is finding the quiet that is already there.And it requires perseverance to be able to plunge deep within.
As you meditate regularly, you will find an appearance of youthful energy and vitality; and calmness that the restless mind so often craves for.
BENEFITS
Nowadays, stress, depression and physical illnesses are major health concerns.
Meditation causes deep relaxation at the nervous system level, at the muscles level and in the internal organs. Our heart’s ejection fraction improves and even cholesterol management improves. It is observed that since tension in the arteries is reduced, blood pressure is also regulated. Overall, general well-being is felt instantly. In case of diabetics, glucose tolerance improves to a great extent. So, the insulin dependency reduces. It is observed that if it was stress diabetics, i.e., the occurrence of diabetics is after the age of 40 years and above, the dependency on medicines is greatly reduced.
Day-to-day stress is managed efficiently through meditation, five to 10 minutes of meditation is recommended for persons who are sick or healthy, burdened with responsibilities or pressed for time. l Meditation de-stresses the mind.The mind is able to concentrate better and there is greater clarity of thought. Regular practice equips the mind to deal with life’s problems calmly.
The heart rate and respiration rate slows down — this results in efficient working of the heart and lungs. When the mind is calm, there is better balance in the body as the cells work in unison, bringing harmony and health to the system.
