Meditation is known for its health and spiritual benefits. Traditionally it has been used for spiritual growth. As we meditate, we become more conscious; able to unfold our inner Light, Love & Wisdom and become more aware of the guiding Presence in our lives, thus accelerating our journey home to our True Self…our Spirit.

Meditation focuses on maintaining quietness of our busy mind. The effect is to direct our concentration to one healing element – one sound, one word, one image, or one’s breath. When our mind is “filled” with the feeling of calm and peace, it cannot take off on its own and worry, stress out or get depressed.

The meditative state allows our nerves and tired muscles to relax, calm heart rates and ease blood pressure. The effect is so restful and peaceful that you will look forward to do it daily.

How Does Meditation Work?

Studies have shown that meditation can bring about a healthy state of relaxation by causing a generalized reduction in multiple physiological and biochemical markers, such as deceased heart rate, decreased respiration rate, decreased plasma cortisol, decreased pulse rate and increased EEG alpha, a brain wave associated with relaxation. Our body gains a state of profound rest.

During meditation, our blood pressure stays at “low level” but falls significantly for persons on medication with abnormally high levels of blood pressure.

Meditation reduces activity in the nervous system. Through meditation we can learn to access the relaxation response and to be aware of the mind and the way our attitudes produce stress. In calming the mind, meditation can also put one in touch with the inner physician, allowing our body’s own inner wisdom to be heard.

Meditation is part of my yoga practice. When I meditate, I feel my life changes for the better. it calms me down and I manage my life better. I have the insights I want to solve problems and a clearer viewpoint even when I feel stressful. Through all these years of practicing meditation, I have been able to reap the positive influence on my life.

How To Meditate Effectively?

Ideally you should meditate in a quiet place, or a room with no distraction. Wear simple and comfortable clothes and remove your shoes when meditate. Try meditating in the same place every time because that will build up a calm meditative energy, making it easier each time to go within.

Guide to Meditation:-

1. Sit upright on your meditation mat with legs folded. Although you may feel rather uneasy initially, after a few sessions, you will feel at ease.

2. Straighten up your spine and close your eyes.

3. Using both your thumb and forefinger touching each other, place your hands on your knees, one on top of the other.

4. Take three full breaths through your nose, filling up your lower diaphragm and slowly letting it out, again through the nose.

5. Repeat your breath, always through the nose, feeling your breath go in and go out.

6. Feel your breath enter your body and where it goes inside, then feel it go out of your body again.

7. If your are distracted by a thought, gently bring back your mind to your breathing and start once more to feel the breathing, then the exhaling.

I personally feel that the best time for meditation is the quiet early morning hours – between 6 A.M. to 6.30 A.M. However some people may prefer to meditate in the evening before they go to bed. The choice is yours, as long as you find it comfortable and effective.

It takes an experienced person to explain the wonderful, positive effects of meditation. Through the years of experience I had with meditation, I must say that it has uplifted me and changed my life positively. If you think of meditating, ten or fifteen minutes a day for a start can have a powerful effect on you. You will realize how smoothly your day flows and how it transforms you over a period of time.

To improve your meditation atmosphere, you may light incense or a candle. Incense creates a sensory memory that helps draw you inside. You may also sit on a small woolen mat that is only used for meditation and this helps to hold energy.

If you love to have some light incense for your meditation, I have some details; some scents encourage calm, while others promote vitality and energy. Sandalwood and frankincense soothe us and pull us inward. Tibetan monks are fond of using these for meditating and for religious events too. Rosewood, geranium, and lavender calm our fears and ease our anxieties.

The goodness of citrus scents like orange, lemon and lime is its great stimulation after meditation session. For a quick effect, place a few drops of orange blossom oil on a cotton ball and inhale. Peppermint and spearmint can be stimulating too.

Take the first step to meditate today for better health and younger you!

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Janice H. is an accountant, nutrition expert cum author. She shares with people around the world oon HOW to live fully to achieve: Health and Beauty. Her mission: ” Leading People To Ageless Living”. Visit Janice’s Blog at: www.stayyoungsecret.com/blog for FREE e-Report to immediately stay and feel younger.

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After a day’s hectic schedule of meeting deadlines, attending meetings, preparing different documents, and so on, you will always be looking forward to going home and relaxing. There are many ways to relax, and one method that is quite effective is meditation.

How will you do it? Perhaps you’ve already heard other people talking about meditation. It’s not as hard as you think. The idea revolves around focusing your thoughts to a certain relaxing thing over a sustained time. This way, your mind is able to rest, and your thoughts about stressful things are diverted elsewhere. Your body can recuperate and relax through meditation; toxin build ups are also cleared away.

You will notice that while you’re meditating your breathing slows, your blood pressure is reduced, the muscles relax, anxiety and irritability are reduced, stressful thoughts and lactic acid are eliminated, clears your way of thinking, headaches and stress are also lessened, and you can now concentrate and focus fully.

Focusing on just a single thing is the true essence of such activity. This is an active process unlike that of hypnosis. All your mental faculties should be concentrated on the meditation’s subject. Meditation is usually done for about 30 minutes, so be sure that you’re in a comfortable position. You can lie on your bed, sit on your favorite couch, or choose any position that you’re really comfortable with.

You can focus on different things when you’re meditating like breathing, an object, a sound, or even imagery. Whichever you choose, it is very important to remain focused. If you experience any distractions and external thoughts, strive hard to drift them out. This is natural when you’re just a beginner; you will always find your thoughts wandering but as you continue practicing meditation, you will soon improve.

You can try these relaxation exercises and incorporate it in your meditation so that you can achieve total relaxation.

1. Tense Relax – start by clenching your fists, and then pull forearms firmly against the upper arms. Keep your muscles tensed, as well as that of your leg muscles. Now, your jaws must also be clenched and your eyes shut tightly. While holding those tense, breathe deeply and then hold for about 5 seconds. Then let go of everything at once. Feel the sensations while your tensions are being released.

2. Heaviness/ Warmth – this is done by feeling your legs and feet getting heavier and warmer by the second. Imagine that it’s like wearing lead boots. After that, try to imagine that your central body portion is also getting warm… warmer and relaxed. Tell yourself that you’re forehead is getting cooler and relaxed. Breath easy and regularly. Just feel all the heaviness and warmth spread over your entire body.

3. Ideal Relaxation – close your eyes and try to create an ideal relaxation spot inside your mind. Choose any place whether it’s imagined or real and furnish the place according to your own preference and style. Wear comfortable clothes and imagine that you’re going to that place. Feel mellow and at ease in your imagined and ideal relaxation place. Enjoy that special moment for about a minute.

These are just simple relaxation and meditation exercises that you can do. If you’re feeling stressed and tensed, do these exercises.

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Roger Mitchell has spent lots of years writing informative health articles on meditation like explore world of yoga meditation for beginners. Other related subjects can also be found at www.HealthLogs.org/sitemap/index.html. This content may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

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The main cause of heart attacks in the western world is atherosclerosis. In layman’s terms this often called “hardening of the arteries”. The main cause of this is plaque, which is mainly made up of fat, cholesterol and calcium. This builds up on the inside of your arteries, hardening with time to narrow your arteries.

Patients in many hospitals in the UK who have suffered a heart attack receive an after care package. Included in the after care package is information on diet, exercise, and stress. The main way they teach you how to manage stress is by including CDs on mediation and relaxation.

The power of meditation has been clinically proven to reduce blood pressure by as much as 10 points. Furthermore it is claimed that Transcendental Meditation is the most effective form of meditation.

Many of the other benefits of meditation are less easy to measure but never the less, from the anecdotal evidence, there are many benefits both in health as well as spiritual. Some of these include a higher level of contentment and inner peace, improved creativity, improved concentration and improved immune function.

It is easy to make meditation a part of your every day lifestyle and all you need to do is to set aside half an hour a day away from all distractions. To get started go along to your local library and pick up a few books on yoga or meditation. You will also find that there are a lot of websites devoted to the topic of meditation. The main problem you might encounter is that among the few good sites there are a few sites specifically dedicated to lightening your wallet and furnishing you with little information in return.

It is not essential, but it can often help if you choose a mantra as part of your meditation practise. A Mantra is a chant which helps you focus, concentrate and empty the mind. It makes your senses sharper and eases you into a state of deep meditation. An easy way to start is to choose a simple Mantra like the sound “OOOOOOOOOOOOM”, repeated over and over.

The next step in meditation is to find a quiet place to sit, where you will be undisturbed. Sit down either on the floor or a chair try to choose a seated position which allows your spine to be almost straight and erect with your pelvis tilted slightly forward. You may also use a cushion, and sit on the edge of the cushion, tilting your pelvis. Relax each part of your body in turn starting with your toes and working all the way up to your head.

Once you are sitting comfortably, close your eyes, breath deeply allow your diaphragm (tummy) to expand as you inhale, and contract as you exhale. As you do this repeat your Mantra out loud. Continue doing this for a few minutes.

Continue mentally repeating your Mantra and try not to force your concentration on your Mantra. It should come easily and without effort. Soon your mind will become empty

To be really effective you should meditate twice a day, once in the morning before breakfast and in the afternoon before dinner.

Peace be with you and happy meditation.

Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com

For more ideas about how you can relax using meditation visit How to Meditate.

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Meditation is the science of bridging between our personality, our soul, and our eternal self. It’s becoming one with all that is, dropping the sense of separateness and duality. Meditation is an experience of emptiness and of the impermanence of forms.

Meditation focuses on maintaining quietness of our busy mind. The effect is to direct our concentration to one healing element – one sound, one word, one image, or one’s breath. When our mind is “filled” with the feeling of calm and peace, it cannot take off on its own and worry, stress out or get depressed.

The meditative state allows our nerves and tired muscles to relax, calm heart rates and ease blood pressure. The effect is so restful and peaceful that you will look forward to do it daily.

How Does Meditation Work?

Studies have shown that meditation can bring about a healthy state of relaxation by causing a generalized reduction in multiple physiological and biochemical markers, such as deceased heart rate, decreased respiration rate, decreased plasma cortisol, decreased pulse rate and increased EEG alpha, a brain wave associated with relaxation. Our body gains a state of profound rest.

During meditation, our blood pressure stays at “low level” but falls significantly for persons on medication with abnormally high levels of blood pressure.

Meditation reduces activity in the nervous system. Through meditation we can learn to access the relaxation response and to be aware of the mind and the way our attitudes produce stress. In calming the mind, meditation can also put one in touch with the inner physician, allowing our body’s own inner wisdom to be heard.

Meditation is part of my yoga practice. When I meditate, I feel my life changes for the better. it calms me down and I manage my life better. I have the insights I want to solve problems and a clearer viewpoint even when I feel stressful. Through all these years of practicing meditation, I have been able to reap the positive influence on my life.

How To Meditate Effectively?

Ideally you should meditate in a quiet place, or a room with no distraction. Wear simple and comfortable clothes and remove your shoes when meditate. Try meditating in the same place every time because that will build up a calm meditative energy, making it easier each time to go within.

Guide to Meditation:-

1. Sit upright on your meditation mat with legs folded. You may find this rather uncomfortable at the start, but after a few attempts you will get use to it.

2. Straighten up your spine and close your eyes.

3. Using both your thumb and forefinger touching each other, place your hands on your knees, one on top of the other.

4. Take three full breaths through your nose, filling up your lower diaphragm and slowly letting it out, again through the nose.

5. Breathe slowly, through the nose and feel your breath going in and out.

6. Feel your breath enter your body and where it goes inside, then feel it go out of your body again.

7. If your are distracted by a thought, gently bring back your mind to your breathing and start once more to feel the breathing, then the exhaling.

I personally feel that the best time for meditation is the quiet early morning hours – between 6 A.M. to 6.30 A.M. But for some people, the best time for meditation is evening just before going to bed. The choice is yours, as long as you find it comfortable and effective.

It takes an experienced person to explain the wonderful, positive effects of meditation. For me, I want to share with you that meditation has improved my life tremendously over the years. If you think of meditating, ten or fifteen minutes a day for a start can have a powerful effect on you. You will realize how smoothly your day flows and how it transforms you over a period of time.

To improve your meditation atmosphere, you may light incense or a candle. Incense creates a sensory memory that helps draw you inside. You may also sit on a small woolen mat that is only used for meditation and this helps to hold energy.

If you love to have some light incense for your meditation, I have some details; some scents encourage calm, while others promote vitality and energy. Sandalwood and frankincense soothe us and pull us inward. Tibetan monks are fond of using these for meditating and for religious events too. Rosewood, geranium, and lavender calm our fears and ease our anxieties.

The goodness of citrus scents like orange, lemon and lime is its great stimulation after meditation session. For a quick effect, place a few drops of orange blossom oil on a cotton ball and inhale. Peppermint and spearmint can be stimulating too.

Take the first step to meditate today for better health and younger you!

Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com

Janice H. is an accountant, nutrition expert cum author. She teaches people around the world on HOW to live an ageless life to achieve: Happiness, Health and Youthfulness. Visit Janice’s site at: www.stayyoungsecret.com to discover HOW to transform your life to live agelessly and get a FREE e-Report at: http//www.stayyoungsecret.com/blog for effective tips to look and feel young.

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Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the Western world today. There are many lifestyle changes that you can make to lower your risk of heart disease and in this article we will concentrate on one of them – Meditation.

Patients in many hospitals in the UK who have suffered a heart attack receive an after care package. Included in the after care package is information on diet, exercise, and stress. The main way they teach you how to manage stress is by including CDs on mediation and relaxation.

The power of meditation has been clinically proven to reduce blood pressure by as much as 10 points. Furthermore it is claimed that Transcendental Meditation is the most effective form of meditation.

Many of the other benefits of meditation are less easy to measure but never the less, from the anecdotal evidence, there are many benefits both in health as well as spiritual. Some of these include a higher level of contentment and inner peace, improved creativity, improved concentration and improved immune function.

It is easy to make meditation a part of your every day lifestyle and all you need to do is to set aside half an hour a day away from all distractions. To get started go along to your local library and pick up a few books on yoga or meditation. You will also find that there are a lot of websites devoted to the topic of meditation. The main problem you might encounter is that among the few good sites there are a few sites specifically dedicated to lightening your wallet and furnishing you with little information in return.

It is not essential, but it can often help if you choose a mantra as part of your meditation practise. A Mantra is a chant which helps you focus, concentrate and empty the mind. It makes your senses sharper and eases you into a state of deep meditation. An easy way to start is to choose a simple Mantra like the sound “OOOOOOOOOOOOM”, repeated over and over.

The next step in meditation is to find a quiet place to sit, where you will be undisturbed. Sit down either on the floor or a chair try to choose a seated position which allows your spine to be almost straight and erect with your pelvis tilted slightly forward. You may also use a cushion, and sit on the edge of the cushion, tilting your pelvis. Relax each part of your body in turn starting with your toes and working all the way up to your head.

Once you are sitting comfortably, close your eyes, breath deeply allow your diaphragm (tummy) to expand as you inhale, and contract as you exhale. As you do this repeat your Mantra out loud. Continue doing this for a few minutes.

Continue mentally repeating your Mantra and try not to force your concentration on your Mantra. It should come easily and without effort. Soon your mind will become empty

To be really effective you should meditate twice a day, once in the morning before breakfast and in the afternoon before dinner.

Peace be with you and happy meditation.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

For more information and tips on meditation and relaxation visit How to Meditate

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