This article was first seen on NateAnglin.com. To see original article, click here. Gaze into your eyelids and breathe. Think of nothing, and end up in the middle of yourself.
Crazy, right?
In this hectic world, silence may seem like a dream, a fantasy, a scarce jewel you'll never find.
Silence is a scarcity, while stress is the new age commodity.
As you run and cater to the demands of life, your stress levels rise and you become a tyrant of sanity. Your life seems like a chaotic dance of one thing to the next.
From a demanding boss, to screaming kids. From engineering pressures to financial overwhelm.
You dance beautifully with chaos, but if you're anything like me, dancing is never graceful.
Life’s stresses are managed through healthy habits, but it can also be cured with just silence.
The science of silence
Mediation is a mind-body connection. It’s a way for you to focus your attention and end the jumbled stream of thoughts that create a world of chaotic anxieties.
Many people think of meditation as “weird” or not worth their time. But in fact the people who think this are worse off.
The power of silence can literally change who you are. Yes, literally!
“In a study published last year in the Journal Stroke, 60 African-Americans with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, practiced meditation for six to nine months. (African-Americans are twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease) The meditators showed a marked decrease in the thickness of their artery walls, while the nonmeditators actually showed an increase. The change for the meditation group could potentially bring about an 11 percent decrease in the risk of heart attack and an 8 percent to 15 percent decrease in the risk of stroke.”
If that wasn't enough:
“A second study, published last year in Psychosomatic Medicine, taught a randomized group of 90 cancer patients mindful meditation (another type of practice). After seven weeks, those who had meditated reported that they were significantly less depressed, anxious, angry and confused than the control group, which hadn't practiced meditation. The meditators also had more energy and fewer heart and gastrointestinal problems than did the other group.”
The power of silence and meditation can change the way you think, feel and act. It’s a way for you to calm your mind and be present in the now and limit the clutter overflowing your mind.
Meditation strategies for coping with stress
There are many ways to be silent. Sitting on the couch watching TV doesn’t count.
Pick one of these 5 strategies and begin to see yourself transform.
1) Sitting in silence: Pick a dark quiet room and sit in a chair. With your hands on your knees slowly close your eyes. Focus on your natural breath, nothing else. When a thought comes into your mind just let it go and return to your breath. Set a timer and do this for 10 minutes a day. You can also try guided mantra, and mindfulness meditation. Whatever you choose the goal is the same.
2) Yoga: You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to encourage flexibility of your body and calmness of your mind. As you move through poses that require balance and concentration, you're encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.
3) Working-out: As you perform an exercise, focus on proper breathing and good form. Much like yoga you’ll be focusing more on the moment and less on your busy day.
4) Take a walk: As you walk focus on a sensation or a sight. Don’t try to dissect the sensation just feel it and let it be. Or you could simply focus on your breath. Would you have ever thought walking could be a form of meditation and low-level exercise combined?
5) Get in the tub: Fill your tub with hot warm water that’s comfortable for you. Don’t make it too hot or cold where you start thinking about the temperature. Make it just right. Light one candle and place it in front of you. Breathe normal and feel your body relax. As you relax focus your attention on the candle. Watch the way it moves and dances. Don’t dissect it, just watch it. Focus on nothing but the candle.
As you can see there are plenty of meditation strategies for coping with stress. Science even validates this.
Meditation is no longer some fru-fru, hippy hugging adventure.
It has true and tangible benefits.
Sit silent, decrease your minds clutter and feel a more fulfilled stress free you.