It worked for George Costanza in Seinfeld and millions of people do it each day. Can meditation help you live longer, feel better and gain insight to life’s biggest questions?
I've been slowly cultivating a yoga and meditation practice over the last 2 years. I've seen significant changes in my life since starting this practice. My relationships are healthier, I don't worry as much and my priorities come to light with much more ease. I've noticed how meditation has helped my aging grandparents. They are in a very scary stage of their life. Well into their 80s and 90s, they struggle everyday with being mostly house-bound, with their bodies slowly failing. They are Buddhists and spend most of their days meditating. They are serene and mentally alert. Though my grandmother fades in and out sometimes, she'll still ask about my weekly salary and be able to calculate my yearly salary in about .025 seconds. What truly amazes me is that they even have a sense of humor about them. I vote for "yes" for meditation.
How long do you meditate each day? Do you think you can actually feel better doing it for only 10-15 minutes each day? My grandfather had his mind up until the day he died at 91. His body didn't work much and sometimes I thought it was a curse. He knew that he wasn't well. Maybe if he had meditated he would have found peace.
With four kids in the house things get crazy at bedtime. By the time it's my turn my brain is buzzing. I have to gather my thoughts and push them away to get myself quiet enough to sleep. If I didn't I'd either lose a lot of sleep or have some really weird dreams.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I thought having two was a challenge. Wow, four! I am surprised you can stay up long enough to meditate.
I have tried and tried and I hope eventually I will be able to free my mind enough to meditate. When I am in yoga class, I always seem to be thinking of the things I need to do. I have tried relaxation tapes and I enjoy them. Listening to someone seems to relax me and help to clear my mind.
I find it helpful to practice yoga breathing in stressful situations. If I am in a position to do so (not while driving!) I'll close my eyes and take deep breaths, using my core to pull air in and push air out. I usually hold the breaths on a count of seven, and the conscious keeping of time with body with breath calms me faster than anything else I've tried.
I do the same thing while I'm falling asleep at night. I will lie still on my back in bed and consciously pull in air and push it out with my core muscles. My breathing becomes deep and rhythmic and I allow tension to flow out of my body with my breath. I'm out like a light in no time.
I have heard that works for a lot of people. If I am stressed or anticipate a stressful situation, I try and take deep breaths. If I am in the car, when I come to a light, I breathe in and out and it helps to calm me down sometimes.
Finding a place that is peaceful and quiet can only help your body to relax and recouperate from the stresses of the day. When I was in highschool, my dad used to drive my whole family into NYC to take Tai Chi lessons from a man in his 90's. Just goes to show you what a good meditation can do. In fact his name was Da Lu.
I want to start meditating but I'm having a hard time figuring out the best way to go about it? Does anyone have recommendations for books or DVD's to get me started?
Someone gave me the CD "Guided Relaxation" by Jennifer Reiss. The cd is a guided yoga nidra lesson to music. I listen to it at night in my bedroom and it relieves a lot of the stress of the day. Give it a try.
I've been slowly cultivating a yoga and meditation practice over the last 2 years. I've seen significant changes in my life since starting this practice. My relationships are healthier, I don't worry as much and my priorities come to light with much more ease. I've noticed how meditation has helped my aging grandparents. They are in a very scary stage of their life. Well into their 80s and 90s, they struggle everyday with being mostly house-bound, with their bodies slowly failing. They are Buddhists and spend most of their days meditating. They are serene and mentally alert. Though my grandmother fades in and out sometimes, she'll still ask about my weekly salary and be able to calculate my yearly salary in about .025 seconds. What truly amazes me is that they even have a sense of humor about them. I vote for "yes" for meditation.
YogaVicki
http://www.yogavicki.com
With four kids in the house things get crazy at bedtime. By the time it's my turn my brain is buzzing. I have to gather my thoughts and push them away to get myself quiet enough to sleep. If I didn't I'd either lose a lot of sleep or have some really weird dreams.
Observe the world as though you were a child and enjoy the wonder of it all.
I thought having two was a challenge. Wow, four! I am surprised you can stay up long enough to meditate.
I have tried and tried and I hope eventually I will be able to free my mind enough to meditate. When I am in yoga class, I always seem to be thinking of the things I need to do. I have tried relaxation tapes and I enjoy them. Listening to someone seems to relax me and help to clear my mind.
I find it helpful to practice yoga breathing in stressful situations. If I am in a position to do so (not while driving!) I'll close my eyes and take deep breaths, using my core to pull air in and push air out. I usually hold the breaths on a count of seven, and the conscious keeping of time with body with breath calms me faster than anything else I've tried.
I do the same thing while I'm falling asleep at night. I will lie still on my back in bed and consciously pull in air and push it out with my core muscles. My breathing becomes deep and rhythmic and I allow tension to flow out of my body with my breath. I'm out like a light in no time.
I have heard that works for a lot of people. If I am stressed or anticipate a stressful situation, I try and take deep breaths. If I am in the car, when I come to a light, I breathe in and out and it helps to calm me down sometimes.
Finding a place that is peaceful and quiet can only help your body to relax and recouperate from the stresses of the day. When I was in highschool, my dad used to drive my whole family into NYC to take Tai Chi lessons from a man in his 90's. Just goes to show you what a good meditation can do. In fact his name was Da Lu.