Meditation for Your Mental Well-Being
By Stephen R. Farris
There are many ways to help us relieve stress and anxiety, and even depression. One of the most successful, tried and true methods is to meditate. Meditation helps you to relax the mind and reflect and focus on positive thoughts. Most often it is done in a quiet environment, however, a lot of people find this to be quite boring.
With today's fast-paced society, with smartphones, traffic congestion on the roads, environmental stresses, work stress and stressful situations on the home front, it seems our minds are always racing. It can be hard, even in a quiet place, to concentrate and calm the mind down.
But meditation is not always about being in a quiet place. Let's take a look at other forms of meditation without the solitude and silence.
Walking
For one, it's a healthy form of exercise. Secondly, it's a great way to relieve the stress and anxieties of the world. Simply going to a park and briskly walking, while listening to the sounds of nature can be your form of meditation. Make a playlist of your favorite music and listen to it while you are walking. Walking and listening to music can help clear your mind.
Martial Arts
Learning martial arts is not just for self-defense. Many styles and techniques are designed to be forms of meditation, such as tai chi and kata. Yoga (while not a martial arts style) is another great way to meditate. Whichever style you choose, the concentrated, gentle movements can actually help your mind switch gears and focus on more positive things. Another added bonus is that each of these also practice breathing techniques that can help reduce both stress and anxiety feelings, plus it can help lower your blood pressure.
You Don't Have to Spend Hours at It
A few minutes a day, or an hour, whatever you're comfortable doing will be just fine. Some people prefer spending an hour or two in meditation, but as long as you are practicing it, just squeeze it into your daily routine no matter how much time is spent doing it.
Meditation for All
The great thing about meditation is that anyone can do it. It's for the young and the old. The guy that buses tables at a restaurant, or the person patrolling our streets to keep them safe, to the men and women you see on the movie screen. A lot of pro athletes you'll find practicing some form of meditation. There's not any one type of person meditation is designed for. It's for everyone that feels the need or wants to do it.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Denton, Tex.