WELLNESS

MEDITATION AND ITS BENEFITS

Meditation is an atavistic practice of mindfulness that is said to be originated in the Indian subcontinent a long time ago. It is a process through which one can relax and achieve awareness. Meditation to the mind is what physical exercise is to the body. Initially, to “meditate” meant to focus and think deeply about something. But over the centuries, the word meditation has broadened to a hypernym constituting practices of stillness, introspection, relaxation, and much more. These days, more than ever, as our minds are filled with chaos and our mental space keeps shrinking; we must try to adopt meditation in our daily routines.

| WELLNESS HOW TO MEDITATE?

The world of meditation is so simple and yet so vast. There is no one specific method to meditate. With innumerable ways to practice it, mediation takes a lot of exploration and experimentation to find a technique that suits you the best. A few general things to keep in mind while meditating involve the following-

• Morning is considered the ideal time to meditate because it helps you begin the day with a sense of calm within yourself. However, any time of the day is a good time to meditate. • Try to be seated in a comfortable place that lacks interruptions because it allows you to be absorbed in the process and results in optimal serenity. • Although there are various postures you can meditate in, sitting upright with your spine erect is the most basic and primary one. As you delve more into the practice you can try out different positions. • As you begin, it is better to meditate for as little as five minutes and extend the time with every session. The key to absolute meditation is gradual progress with an unhurried mindset.

IMPACT OF MEDITATION:

Meditation does wonder to one’s physical and mental wellbeing. It has a deep and spiritual impact on one’s existence. It also helps one exceed their limitations of body and mind. Scientific research and studies substantiate the advantages meditation has on the human body.

Meditation enhances mental abilities: Meditation helps to improve the span of attention, concentration levels, and resilience. It aids in organizing your thoughts and ideas and in making better decisions. It develops your memory and awareness. It strengthens our cognitive abilities and nurtures creativity.

Meditation boosts mental health: Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and alleviate symptoms of mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and panic disorders. It is often recommended in the process of treatment by psychologists.

Meditation aids in physical illnesses: Meditation helps in reducing blood pressure and the risk of other heart-related diseases. It’s also been indicated to decrease inflammatory disorders. Studies show that meditative practices help prevent asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. It also eases symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and menopause.

Meditation improves emotional states: Meditation plays a crucial factor in accommodating our emotions. It creates space for us to feel emotions without much strain and pain. It lightens feelings of worry and magnifies compassion, empathy, and kindness.

Meditation instills inner peace: With consistent practice, meditation replaces the build-up of turmoil with tranquility. It allows you to reach stillness from within your soul that eventually leads to a finer trail of life.

In conversation with a yoga and meditation instructor

HARSHITA BHANDARU,

a second-year college student and a part-time yoga and meditation teacher, has barely turned twenty and has already completed two levels of international yoga training. She trains people who share the same passion and was on the TED talk platform in December 2021.

What is your perception of meditation?

For me, meditation is a tool to calm myself and center my mind. A lot of people think that meditation is about concentrating but meditation is the complete opposite of it and I feel that meditation gives us a lot of energy throughout the day to get our mundane tasks done, and obviously, it is the key to our overall health and wellbeing.

Any tips on how to start meditation for people who have no idea about it?

Initially, it will be very difficult to just sit still for even two minutes. As you begin, take it slow, do not push yourself too much. It’s all about being patient and taking baby steps. A crucial detail to mastering meditation is maintaining consistency and practicing it daily, the time varying from 2 to 45 minutes. Constancy is the way to go so make sure you take time out to practice it daily.

Why do you think people should practice meditation regularly?

Meditation is the key to eliminating stress and building concentration in one’s life. Many people are unaware of it but meditation is a wonderful healing process inclusive of physical pains like shoulder pain or ankle pain. Practicing meditation with breathing techniques can bring miracles to life and improve your quality of life. It also yields us a lot of energy to run through our day-to-day chores.

What are some misconceptions regarding meditation?

Especially in a country like India, a huge part of the population misunderstands the concept of meditation by associating it with culture and religion. In addition to that, meditation is often interpreted as a practice meant for the elderly but there is no age barrier to practicing meditation. Anyone can do meditation anywhere and at any given time.

What are a few health benefits of meditation?

It helps an individual to dig deeper and connect with oneself. It helps to reduce stress, increases self-awareness, improves imagination and creativity, creates balance, and builds focus. On a simple yet powerful note, it makes our day-to-day activities easy and hassle-free which builds our foundation stronger and helps to enrich our lives.

| All you WELLNESS need to know about Prenatal Yoga

Asisha is a software engineer turned into a yoga practitioner and now a teacher. She spent a year learning therapy yoga and now teaches prenatal, Hatha, and therapeutic yoga.

Why yoga is important?

To understand our inner world. To be able to live in harmony first with ourselves and then with all around us. And just to be better versions of ourselves.

What difference does yoga make in a pregnant woman’s life?

Yoga is a holistic practice that suits every individual type to ease any kind of discomfort, making the journey more enjoyable. It develops sensitivity of self and prepares you physically and mentally for labor. The healing is faster too.

What are the things to keep in mind for beginners?

Don’t be over-ambitious to perfect a pose. Aim for smaller improvements and practice under guidance. For pregnant women, the purpose of doing yoga should be to develop strength and stamina, not merely improve flexibility.

Aasans you recommend for the readers?

For pregnant women, I would suggest marjariasana, tadasana, badhakonasan, anandabalasana, and most importantly deep belly breathing exercises.

Do you have specific courses for different people based on their age & health conditions?

When a new practitioner enrolls, I take down their health history and current complaints and design sequences based on their condition. So, every person has their customized practice. I do run a regular group class too where we practice hatha yoga.

What type of diet is to be followed by pregnant women?

Against popular saying, it’s more about the quality of food than the quantity when you are pregnant. Always prepare freshly cooked meals. The body has different needs at different stages of pregnancy as per the evolution of the fetus, and this month-wise diet regime is mentioned in Ayurveda.

What keeps you motivated?

When my pregnant practitioners go for a scan and come back to me saying the baby was practicing breathing inside the womb. When I see the moms acing their births like warriors. Also, my progress in my sadhana and being able to share the small learnings from my daily practice with my practitioners.

What's your favorite asana?

Shirsasana and Chakrasana. These are the two Positions of the spine that we don’t indulge in our day-to-day lives.

What is your goal to achieve as a prenatal yoga teacher?

I want all women to embrace pregnancy without any fears. No debate that the modern medical system is a boon to mankind but having said that it’s a basic experience of life to be able to listen and feel what’s going on within and to be able to trust our intuition. So, I would want women to trust their bodies too as much as they trust their docs.

What do you want to say to those people who think yoga isn't enough to bring changes in their life?

When you start thinking of yoga as a way of life and a principle guideline to lead life, then it acts as a catalyst to balance all the aspects of your life, physically mentally, and spiritually. It’s when you start to treat yoga as one of the modern quick-fix therapies it tends to disappoint you. Any change requires disciplined effort. A Prolonged and disciplined practice will convince you how enriching it can be.

She is building her digital profile under the Insta handle @sukhino. yoga.