Sometimes you simply can’t add another thought because your mind is so full. A moment of silence isn’t only set aside for practices to show respect. A moment of silence can be a way to reenergize and refocus for mental healing. Many entrepreneurs have a mind full of mess rather than practicing mindfulness. The constant chatter and distractions that run through our minds can be enough to make you feel like you’re going crazy at times. There is something that you can do about the noise in your mind. I recommend meditation.
Meditation can happen before you begin your hectic day at the office or take place anytime while at work. According to null the word meditation carries different meanings in different contexts. Meditation has been practiced since antiquity as a component of numerous religious traditions and beliefs. Meditation often involves an internal effort to self-regulate the mind in some way. Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. The benefits of meditation are not new, but using meditation as a regular source for mental healing is less known by Americans. We often see meditation as a spiritual or religious act; however, research has shown that there are a great many benefits of meditating. According to www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/meditation-heals-body-and-mind stress reduction could be the key to meditation’s beneficial effect on health. More studies have shown improvement for fibromyalgia and even psoriasis in patients who meditate. Science hasn’t yet connected the dots between what happens in the meditating brain and the immune system. But a University of Wisconsin study saw increased electrical activity in regions of the left frontal lobe, an area that tends to be more active in optimistic people, after eight weeks of training in meditation.
Meditation starts with intention and breathing appropriately through mindfulness. According to www.thebuddhistcentre.com/text/mindfulness-breathing as its name implies, the ‘Mindfulness of Breathing’ uses the breath as an object of concentration. By focusing on the breath you become aware of the mind’s tendency to jump from one thing to another. The simple discipline of concentration brings us back to the present moment and all the richness of experience that it contains. It is a way to develop mindfulness, the faculty of alert and sensitive awareness. As well as this, the mindfulness of breathing is a good antidote to restlessness and anxiety, and a good way to relax: concentration on the breath has a positive effect on your entire physical and mental state.
Here are six steps to help you to meditate:
- Choose a peaceful environment or at a minimum a quiet place where you can feel safe and relaxed such as your office with the door closed. The object is to slow your mind down and eliminate ‘monkey chatter’, i.e. the constant self-talk and random thoughts.
- Sit in a comfortable position that may include sitting in a chair or on the floor with your back upright. Choose a posture that allows you to be balanced tall and straight. Avoid laying down which often prompts you to go to sleep versus meditating.
- Close your eyes. This will block out any external visual stimulation and prevent you from becoming distracted as you focus on calming your mind.
- Breathe. Often we forget to breathe especially when upset. Pay attention to your breath and attempt to breathe from the diaphragm and not the chest with longer than usual intake and exhale of breath. Make an effort to refocus your mind on your breathing and try to think of nothing else. Drown out the chatter and attempt to clear your mind. This is the most important step in meditating.
- Do a body scan. Focus on each individual body part to consciously relax it. It is a simple meditation technique which allows you to relax the mind as you relax the body. Visualize each body part becoming relaxed.
- Practice visualization by creating a place in your mind that you can visit over and over. It can be a sanctuary, park, beach or wherever you feel most welcomed and at peace in your mind. See yourself in that place as you breathe.
Work your way up to 20 minutes of being still and visiting the place you have created in your mind for rejuvenating, reenergizing and repairing your mind for mental wellness.
From: Inc