Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Use the Following Meditation Techniques To Loose up Stress

By Irene Mmari

In this article, the sole purpose is to provide you will all of the information that you need on techniques pertaining to meditation which show you how to cope with pain, and in some situations overcoming pain with the actual use of techniques that have been derived from Yoga. Yoga uses simple techniques which can be performed by anyone and more importantly it is not time consuming. It may be an ancient practice but it is still performed the world over when it comes to handling stress in an effective manner. Meditation can also be viewed as a contemplative technique that can be used for focusing your mind on a certain thought or object, for spiritual, religious or relaxation purposes and it often leads to feelings of peace and calmness within the soul and body.

Mediation can be performed in various ways: silent meditation, chanting, listening to chants or other soothing music meant for meditation. You can also focus on a picture or concentrate on your own breathing cycle and posture. Irrespective of the approach used, you need a silent and peaceful environment to practice it besides a regular uninterrupted time on your daily schedule.

Identify your object of focus - it can be a mantra (word or phrase), your breathing cycle or a physical object and attain a comfortable posture (do not lie down as it would induce sleep). What you need to achieve is a slightly trance-like state - part of your surroundings yet detached from everything around you. In the two deeper states, however, the mind becomes progressively more tranquil and still.

Though it is Buddhism that comes to mind when we think of meditation, most religions include it as a part of their religious practices in some form or the other. Buddhism uses it in order to focus and direct one's mental path to get to the point of enlightenment. While it can be done anywhere, anytime and in any position, what you will find is that the best way to do it is in the sitting position which is known as 'zazen'.

There are so many benefits that accrue when you meditate and the physical as well as psychological ones have been documented by Herbert Benson, a Harvard professor in a study. All you need is as little as twenty minutes a day in order to feel the difference in your health - including your blood pressure, tension, breathing and heart performance. The deeper states will very often bring about mental images like bursts of color and images and maybe even a still, small voice. Studies have been done to prove the efficacy of meditation in relieving stress-related illnesses as well as pain and mental diseases like depression.

As you become happier, healthier and you being to realize that you possess a much greater self-awareness, all of the other benefits are going to start to naturally follow: for example, an improved mental functioning is going to mean a greater intuition as well as a much greater access to the unconscious abilities and resources. Meditation has been used for some means of spiritual growth however, more recently, it has become a very valuable tool for finding a place of relaxation, peace and tranquility within this fast-paced and demanding world and managing stress. When you combine yoga and meditation, you will find it a perfect recipe to help you to a life without stress and tension. - 14130

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