Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique, such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity; to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. Meditation may significantly reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and pain and enhance peace, perception, self-concept, and well-being. Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with our mind. We take time out of our busy days to sit, breathe, and try to remain focused on our breath. Doing this helps us become more aware of our thoughts, act more compassionately toward ourselves and others, and connect with the present moment.
During meditation, we focus our attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding our mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being. Meditation can give us a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both our emotional well-being and our overall health. We can also use it to relax and cope with stress by refocusing our attention on something calming. Meditation can help us learn to stay centered and keep inner peace. Meditation creates the conditions for us to see things more clearly, feel calmer and content, and be kind to ourselves and others no matter what’s happening in our lives.
In recent years thousands of people have participated in studies that confirm the beneficial effects of meditation for stress, depression, managing chronic pain, insomnia and other conditions. The area of using meditation for self-healing has been of great interest to brain researchers around the globe. Numerous studies have revealed the relationship between meditation and a healthy brain. It would seem that the brains of long-term meditators are wired a bit differently than those of non-meditators. People struggling with chronic pain or other medical conditions can use healing meditation to feel better in body and spirit. Some report dramatic results from healing meditation, while others simply appreciate the reduction in stress that comes from sitting quietly and focusing the mind. Healing meditation often incorporates visualization techniques. Regular meditation can help relieve stress, improve your ability to focus and lead to a better understanding of your own thought patterns and processes. Some people use meditation to enhance creativity, reduce chronic pain, treat headaches & insomnia and even improve performance in daily routine life.