Many people have heard that meditating can ease the mind and calm the body, but few people really understand the full list of benefits that go along with visiting a meditation center. From improving overall health to reducing pain, meditating is an excellent addition to any lifestyle.
Meditation is a mind-body practice that allows the user to engage in a state of mental clarity and emotional calm. It is a form of stress reduction, relaxation and focus. It allows the user to be present in the moment rather than thinking about the past or what they must do next.
IMPROVES HEALTH
While reducing stress through meditation improves health, there are other health benefits to meditating as well. Meditating reduces blood pressure, decreases inflammation, increases brain function and increases oxygen in the body. There is also evidence, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (https://nccih.nih.gov/), that meditation may reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.
IMPROVES DEPRESSION
Meditating reduces anxiety and depression by creating mindfulness of behaviors that lead to these conditions and by increasing positive emotions. It may also contribute to reduced symptoms of PTSD.
REDUCES THE DESIRE TO SMOKE
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/), one survey found that smokers who engaged in two weeks of meditation training showed a smoking reduction of 60%. An increase in brain activity of areas of the brain related to self-control was found in the same group.
IMPROVES MEMORY AND BRAIN FUNCTION
In some research, meditation is shown to cause the brain\’s cerebral cortex to thicken. This process increases the brain’s ability to retain memory, concentrate and to learn new things.
TYPES OF MEDITATION
We teach various types of meditation at our meditation center, including:
— Spiritual meditation
Spiritual meditation is a type of meditation that varies depending on religion or spiritual relief. The purpose of spiritual meditation is to bring the person closer to a greater spiritual being.
— Mindfulness
Mindfulness meditation is a psychological process during which a person focuses their attention on what is happening in the present moment. If the mind begins to wander, they bring their focus right back to the present including the surrounding sounds and smells.
–Focused meditation
Focused meditation, also known as focused attention meditation, has its origins in Buddhism. This type of meditation involves keeping selective attention on an object — sustaining it for a long period of concentration and sensation.
–Movement meditation
Movement meditation, such as Tai Chi or Yoga, is a combination of low impact exercise and meditation that may improve flexibility, reduce stress and increase energy.
–Transcendental and mantra meditation
Both transcendental and mantra meditation use the reciting of a word or chanting of a syllable to help the person practicing it focus and become mindful. Transcendental meditation is a type of mantra meditation during which the mantras are recited quietly and the person meditating gradually falls into a more natural state of silent awareness.
FIND OUT HOW MEDITATION CAN HELP YOU
There are many other types of meditation in addition to these that can be practiced. The different techniques used in meditation vary depending on the preferences of the person meditating. For an overview of different meditation techniques, benefits and a guide on how to begin meditating, schedule an appointment with our meditation center today.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Lotus Wellness Center, request an appointment in our Palatine dental office here: https://www.lotuswellnesscenter.com. Or call us at (773) 897-3292.