If at first we don’t succeed then try, try again. I think that’s how it goes?
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“Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state”.
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I’m an on again off again meditator. It’s been that way for years. 😂
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I know the benefits of it. I know it does something good for me. I know I feel better when I do it.
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I know all that and I still fall off the wagon for months at a time.
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So I’m recommitting to 8 weeks of meditation because with all that is going on I need as many tools as I can get to cope. I’ve never done well with injustice and today it feels like we are living in a sea of injustice. 😭
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Did you know there is more than one way to meditate? Here are just a few common styles:
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Mantra- silently focused on a mantra on replay
Chakra-focuses on chakra energy color and fields of energy.
Kundalini-focuses on breath and harnessing energy coiled from the sacrum through the spine
Tantra-focuses on the body as a divine light
Nada- focuses on sound like rushing water or music
Bhakti- focuses on oneness with God
Kriya-focuses on energy and breath control
Trataka-focuses on gazing at an object
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And there are more. Too many to list actually. 🤷🏻‍♀️
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What I have found through trial and error is that if I do not have something to focus on directly my mind wanders and I end up spending 15 mins going over my to do list. 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️
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There are benefits to meditating that can be easily expressed. Here are a few I compiled from health websites.
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“Mental and physical stress causes increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines.In an 8-week study, a meditation style called “mindfulness meditation” reduced the inflammation response caused by stress.”
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“A study completed with 47 people experiencing chronic pain found that completing an 8-week meditation program led to noticeable improvements in depression, anxiety, and pain over 1 year”.
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Also, another study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increasing positive self-statements and improving stress reactivity and coping.
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In addition, 60 people receiving treatment for alcohol abuse found that practicing transcendental meditation was associated with lower levels of stress, psychological distress, alcohol cravings, and alcohol use after 3 months.
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“Meditation may also help you control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating”.
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Some other benefits that are not as easily explained:
Feelings of well being
More Connection
An ability to view from enlightened state
More control over emotions
Ability to harness energy and use it more wisely.
Increased faith.
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Just because we may be an on again off again kind of practitioner doesn’t mean we can’t benefit from a renewed commitment to something that will bring us better health.
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Each time we try again we get closer to being able to fulfill a long term commitment. Instead of focusing on how long you’ve been off again focus on how quick you are willing to get back on again.
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