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YOUR GUIDE TO a Calm, Stress-free SUMMER

by Neamat Eltouby

editation is key M for a stressfree summer. Although some may perceive it as a pointless activity that only involves sitting and rhythmic breathing, it’s probably those who haven’t given it a proper and fair try.

Not only does meditation calm us down, but it imposes many health and mental benefits as well. For your body, meditation is a rejuvenator, it acts like a restart button to your health. For your mind, meditation is your little happy pill, an advantageous drug we should all be taking.

THINGS YOU WILL EXPERIENCE BEFORE MEDITATING

When taking the step to begin meditation, typically, there are many obstacles that will bind your exercise. With meditation, comes the physical obstacle of sitting still and clearing your mind. Taking one position to begin your activity is possibly the most challenging issue you will face. You will want to toss and turn and itch, and then the mind games will roll in. As you start to meditate and attempt to clear your mind, doubts about the activity will surely find their way to you. You will most probably ask yourself why you’re not doing something else that is more productive, like being with family, making money or doing some extra work. However, all of this, is in fact, the reason you need to be meditating. So, keep it in mind to block out all the other whispers you will hear.

Sit/Lie Comfortably. With your hands on your lap and your body absolutely still, place yourself in a comfortable position to begin your meditative technique. Ignore rumours about the most efficient positions, as you need to take a comfortable position that takes injuries, aching areas and bodily issues into consideration.

Close your Eyes. Closing your eyes keeps you focused on the process you’re about to begin, and keeps you from being distracted with your surroundings. Total darkness is the only thing you should be seeing. Do not visualize.

Breathe. Focus on your breath, the movement of your chest and the air coming in and out. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, ribcage and stomach. Centre your attention on that, and only that.

Clear Your Mind. Rid your head from all thoughts to focus on absolutely nothing. For a few moments, pretend like nothing is around but you and your breathing. And, you’re all set.

Meditating is more beneficial than you might have heard. Relaxation is mainly your goal and is usually the attainable result, but it is not the only one. Although, seeking relaxation is most probably the reason why you’ve begun this activity, but consider the many other benefits you will be experiencing as well. The short term goals of meditation are primarily the main focus of those who meditate, yet, meditation vastly affects our hearts, brains, thoughts, emotions, and in many cases our brain’s capacity.

PHYSICALLY

Physically, meditation lowers your blood pressure and your heart rate, improves your blood circulation, and slows your respiratory rate. Not only that, but it boosts your immune system and energy levels as well as curb asthma and other inflammatory disorders. Meditation can also be an effective cure for feminine disorders like PMS and a useful regulator for menopausal symptoms. When feeling menstrual cramps, make sure to try meditating to regulate the cramps and calm your stomach down. As a whole, meditation helps you live longer and healthier.

MENTALLY

Meditation is a mean to relax, that’s a given result. However, considering your emotional and mental well-being, meditation is just a better chance for you to reduce your anxiety and impulsivity. With feeling stress, loneliness, and/ or depression, meditation is also medication. It increases your self-awareness as you focus on your breathing and yourself more than anything else. As a result, it increases self-acceptance and acceptance of the world around you in general. It relieves you from harmful emotional impulses like eating away your feelings or smoking them off. As a whole, it improves your mood and focuses on your emotional and social connections, developing your intelligence on both. Surprisingly, meditation has also proven to strengthen and improve memory, as it increases memory retention and focus skills. It also helps with processing, creativity and critical thinking.

Meditation is painful in the beginning but it bestows immortal bliss and supreme joy in the end

Swami Sivananda Starting meditation is guaranteeing yourself a calmer, less nerve-wrecking lifestyle. After meditating, you will easily notice the obvious changes in your health, and you will feel a healthy, gorgeous glow. Your mind will clear and you will find the stressful things in life, less stressful.