THE ART OF LETTING GO
Welcome back to #FACTUALFRIDAY everyone! As you may have guessed from Wednesday’s post, we’re going to talk about the connection between mind and body today – and the physical benefits we derive from a mental activity.
OK – so we’ve all heard about meditation. And, of course, we all probably have lots of misconceptions about it. Must we sit crossed-legged on the floor? Do we have to “turn our minds off?” Do we need to isolate ourselves? Should we remove all noise, distractions, and shoes before beginning? Does it always involve repeating the phrase, “Omm?” Is it necessary to fast before or after? And, on and on.
Well, in a word, the answer to all the above is simply, “No.” You see, meditation is really a very simple technique that anyone can do anywhere at any time. I know. I’ve been practicing Transcendental Meditation for over 30 years. Since I was in my teens. In fact, my whole family started together, including Mom, Dad and all my siblings. It was, indeed, a family affair.
Now, that’s what I do. But, there are many different types of meditation. Think of it this way. There’s only one New York City — but there are many different ways to get there. You see, essentially all meditations involve a technique that allows us to relax while sitting quietly with our eyes closed. The techniques may vary, but the end result can be surprisingly the same.
And, it’s that end result we’re interested in.
So, based upon research that has taken place over many years, here’s a list of the TOP TEN BENEFITS associated with BASIC MEDITATION. Spending just a few minutes a day in this pleasant non-activity can help us:
- Overcome Stress
- Increase Focus and Improve Attention
- Aid Weight Loss
- Help Overcome Anxiety, Depression and Anger
- Improve Digestion
- Lower Blood Pressure
- Decrease Risk of Heart Attack
- Improve Sex Life and Increase Libido
- Boost Creativity
- Decrease Perception of Pain
Now, that’s what I call a great result for only a few minutes a day!
In light of this, you may be wondering, “is meditation the new medication?” Well, in my opinion, no. Yes, the benefits of meditation are substantial. But, traditional medicine also is a necessary component to overall wellbeing. The trick is to combine the two in a complementary and synergistic way – with each one highlighting the strengths of the other. You see, it’s not a matter of Eastern philosophy or Western technology – it’s a matter of Eastern philosophy and Western technology. More bang for our buck, so to speak.
So, why not look into meditation? Ask a friend. Do a little research. Pick a technique that makes sense to you. Try it out. See what happens. And, remember – sometimes less really is more!
Thanks for joining me everyone! Until next time,
TAKE THE COURSE AND TAKE CHARGE!
1)University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2003; 2) University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007; 3) Journal of Emotion, 2007; 4) Psychosomatic Medicine, 2009; 5) Harvard Medical School, 2009; 6) Harvard Medical School, 2009; 7) The Stroke Journal, 2009; 8) The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2009; 9) ScienceDaily, 2010; 10) Wake Forest University of Medicine, 2010.
www.davidlynchfoundation.org
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