Meditation Techniques By Sharon Ghanime
Namaste everyone! As you know, mental health is as important as physical health. However, the two are closely tied together. Most of the time, if your physical health is lacking then your mental one is affected. How to care for your mental health? A quick and relatively easy way to get rid of your anxiety or intrusive thoughts is to meditate! Health expert and yoga instructor Sharon Ghanime will share with you a short meditation suitable for practitioners of yoga and non-practitioners alike.
What exactly is meditation?
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.
Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind.
During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.
Why is meditation important?
The effects of meditation have been proved by science. The mental health benefits of meditation include better focus and concentration, improved self-awareness and self-esteem, lower levels of stress and anxiety, and fostering kindness.
Meditation also has benefits for your physical health, as it can improve your tolerance for pain and help fight substance addiction.
With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:
- Anxiety
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Sleep problems
- Tension headaches
Short meditation guided by Health Expert Sharon
If you are new to meditation then start with a few minutes. A week after another, increase the time you meditate as you gradually train the mind to still and sit for a longer duration. It is recommended that we meditate daily and ideally in the morning to set the tone for the entire day. The key is to build a routine and discipline yourself around it.
Use a timer or rely on a meditation app to help you navigate the new waters of mindful meditation if you’re a beginner or not. Sharon personally logs her meditation through an app called 'Calm'.
Whenever you’re ready, sit down on the ground or find a quiet, comfortable spot to sit in. choose a posture that will offer you ease and comfort.
Gently close your eyes and begin to find stillness in the physical body. Allow your shoulders to roll back and down away from the neck. Allow the arms to rest effortlessly on the knees.
Let the back muscles relax completely, softening the abdomen receiving the breath in a soft belly.
Become aware of the pelvic region and notice if there are any areas of tension or stiffness there. Relax the hips and drop the knees closer to the floor.
With every breath, feel grounded. Be aware of the ground beneath you and how you touch it with your pelvis or your feet.
Focus on the sounds around you in the room, and maybe outside of it. Listen not only with your ears but also with the entire aura until you become fully conscious of the sound of your own breath.
Begin to watch the inflows and the outflows of the breath.
Watch the video above to meditate with Sharon! How do you feel after this simple meditation? Tell us about your experience. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.