While meditation is primarily associated with mental health benefits, its positive impact on physical health should not be underestimated. This blog post will explore how healthy meditation practices can contribute to your well-being and physical health.
Physical Benefits of Meditation:
Lower Blood Pressure: Meditation can help lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Enhanced Immune System: Regular meditation strengthens the immune system, making it more effective at fighting off infections. Pain Management: Mindfulness meditation has been shown to alleviate chronic pain by changing the brain’s perception of discomfort. Better Sleep: Improved sleep quality is one of the critical physical benefits of meditation, as it relaxes the nervous system.
Combining Meditation with Healthy Lifestyle Choices: To maximize the physical health benefits of meditation, one needs to consider integrating it with other healthy habits.
Regular Exercise: Engage in physical activity to complement your meditation practice. Balanced Diet: Eat nutritious foods to nourish your body and mind. Sufficient Sleep: Prioritize sleep and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration is crucial for overall health.
Citation:
Kishore, S., & Gawande, K. (2021). Holistic health care for quality of life: Role of Heartfulness meditation for stress management. Fit India: Holistic Health Care for Quality Life, 47.
Sampaio, C. V. S., Lima, M. G., & Ladeia, A. M. (2017). Meditation, health, and scientific investigations: a review of the literature. Journal of religion and health, 56, 411-427.
Since the recent scientific examination of meditation, which has historically been associated with spiritual beliefs and is often accompanied by a sense of mystery, a clearer understanding of its mechanisms and effects has emerged.
As a transformative practice, meditation plays a significant role in liberation theology, intertwining inner reflection with social justice. This potent tool enables people to examine their core values and beliefs, cultivating empathy and compassion for those suffering from societal injustices. Through meditation, individuals develop a heightened awareness of systemic injustices and their responsibility to advocate for change. Love, at the heart of liberation theology, drives the pursuit of justice for the oppressed, acknowledging the intrinsic dignity of every human being. Love empowers individuals to act with empathy, understanding, and solidarity, breaking down barriers that perpetuate discrimination and injustice.
Liberation theology, grounded in love and justice, seeks to liberate the oppressed from oppressive systems and structures that deny their inherent rights and freedoms. It calls for dismantling systems of exploitation and advocates for the empowerment of marginalized communities, enabling them to stand tall in their rightful place as equal members of society. Liberation theology emphasizes the importance of love and compassion in guiding actions that challenge the status quo and work towards a more equitable and inclusive world.
Through the lens of liberation theology, justice takes on a transformative dimension, calling for the redistribution of power and resources to uplift the marginalized and oppressed. Justice demands accountability for those who perpetrate injustice and advocates for reparative actions that seek to rectify historical wrongs. It seeks to break the chains of oppression, ensuring everyone lives with dignity and freedom. Meditation guides this pursuit of justice, nurturing the patience and resilience required to address deeply ingrained social issues and foster lasting change.
Ultimately, the combination of meditation, love, justice, and liberation theology provides a robust framework for collective action. It encourages individuals to challenge their biases and privileges, fostering a society that values every human life and upholds the principles of justice and equality. People who engage in the transformative practice of meditation develop the clarity and inner strength to fight for justice with a deep love for humanity. Liberation theology ignites the flame of hope, inspiring communities to unite in solidarity, and together, they create a world where the pursuit of justice and love prevails, leading to the liberation of all from the chains of oppression.
Sources
Roelofs, H. Mark. “Liberation theology: The recovery of Biblical radicalism.” American Political Science Review 82, no. 2 (1988): 549-566.
Iglesias, Elizabeth M., and Francisco Valdes. “Religion, gender, sexuality, race and class in coalitional theory: A critical and self-critical analysis of LatCrit social justice agendas.” Chicano-Latino L. Rev. 19 (1998): 503.
At the ongoing India International Spiritual Art Festival in Coimbatore, a replica of the Nettipattam, a golden mask used to ornament elephants’ foreheads during temple celebrations in Kerala, is displayed in a sparkling and colorful version. As well as an ethnographic nettipattam created by artist Shobha Prem utilizing gold-plated fiber domes, various other exhibitions take center stage during the virtual event (https://SpiritualArtFestival.org/) that will continue for 100 days until November 8, 2021.
From glittering ‘nettipattams’ and crochet art to sculptures, this 100-day virtual exhibition has it all
The exhibition features artworks and sculptures by over 70 artists from India, Poland, South Africa, and Oman, all of whom are inspired by the themes of meditation, awakening, spirituality, knowledge, and inner calm. Vernika Singh’s beautiful sculptures, constructed of aluminum and mild steel, depict humans in Surya-namaskar poses, with the postures, motions, and gestures of the practice highlighted. The bare figures, which are more concerned with the anatomy than face features, quickly capture the viewer’s attention. In Pune, Manasa Priya creates crochet art inspired by children, and Kuppaana Kandgal’s oil paintings include peaceful textures reminiscent of nature. Ishrath Humairah produces fascinating landscapes in abstract textures based on rocks, plants, and the natural world. Her work is exhibited internationally. Finally, Mauli Shah’s kaleidoscope series, painted in watercolors, reflects the banality of everyday life.
According to Blake Willis, a professor of anthropology and education at Fielding Graduate University in California who spoke in a video message on the website, “the art show is an expression of emotions including love, compassion, enlightenment, knowledge, sisterhood, brotherhood, forgiveness, and more.” “It provides deserving artists with a worldwide platform to display their work,” says the curator. We are looking forward to taking in the artwork and learning about the people who created it.”
In addition to being the festival’s director, Kalki Subramaniam is also a transgender activist and novelist. She says the festival promotes emerging artists, with one Delhi-based artist selling five works in a week. “During a pandemic, spiritual power is something we can rely on to keep our cool,” she continues, adding that.
Gautam Jhanjee, an artist, residing in Canberra, has pieces on display at the event. His calligraphic art is inspired by the diverse cultures of his hometown and Maharashtrian and Punjabi influences from India, Oman, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia, among other places. Artist Bridget Paul Shibu, who co-curated the event with Kalki, explains that the focus is on lesser-known artists and their experiments with various media in this exhibition. “Muthiah Kasi from Auroville adheres to the use of ethnic, non-toxic earth colors in his creations. Nandkumar Yashwant Kulaye, a Mumbai-based artist, creates abstract constructions out of wood, metal, fiberglass, and sandstone, among other materials. “The show has opened my eyes,” says the actor.
In his 2017 song “American Teen,” Khalid bemoaned that young people “don’t always express what they mean.” However, following a school year marred by the epidemic, young people speak frankly about issues ranging from racism to their mental health.
Pandemic as a chance
The virtual meetings, which were covered by high school and college students affiliated with the journalism education charity Urban Health Media Project, provided insight into the state of American teenagers who had endured an emotional roller coaster over the last year.
At a Staten Island session, student speakers discussed mental health and racial justice – in part because the two are inextricably linked.
“Racism is a mental health concern because it results in trauma,” said Curtis High School senior Qawiyat Adesina.
“Organizing burns us out,” said Janelle Astorga-Ramos, co-founded an Albuquerque student advocacy group in 2015.
What is the next step?
As the panel talks came to a close, Azariah Estes, a junior at Ritenour High School in St. Louis, stated that one question was “floating about – ‘What next?'”.
There were numerous suggestions.
They include forming high school groups devoted to specific problems and joining community organizations that do the same.
In St. Louis, these measures include increasing the number of licensed therapists in schools, requiring a parent or guardian to attend all school safety discussions, creating “calm rooms” for students to center themselves, and having school safety officers – many of whom are former cops – dress in plainclothes rather than uniform.
“It only takes one person,” Wells explained, “but it is that individual’s responsibility to recruit 200 others.”
Whatever their ambitions, the students agreed that communication was necessary, particularly about frequently taboo topics, such as mental health. South Carolina students stated that they had witnessed an upsurge in teenage suicides and attempted suicides, but the issue is rarely mentioned. “It’s tragic that it takes so many people dying to bring up the subject,” said Elly Tate, an eighth-grader at Gaffney’s Ewing Middle School.
The kind of meditation that healing can bring comes from inside. For individuals who exercise it as an everyday ritual, meditation can reap a variety of benefits. Here are just some of the many improvements in your life that meditation can have.
Inner peace is one of the most significant advantages that meditation can provide in the life of a human. A lot of people today would like to find more inner harmony in their lives in this chaotic world that we live in. At times, inner harmony can appear impossible, because life has been too hectic in modern times.
It is through meditation where we can be shown how this active and stressful life can turn off the noise of the mind brought on. We are taught by meditation not to dwell on all the different moving thoughts that clutter our mind. Meditation can show people how to acquire a clear state of mind. And the trick to feeling true inner happiness can be done through this.
Meditation is a straightforward practice open to all that may reduce stress, increase clarity and calmness, and promote happiness. Learning how to meditate straightforward is, and the huge benefits can quickly come. Here, you can expect basic tips to get you started on the path toward greater equanimity, joy, and acceptance. Consider a deep breath, and prepare yourself to relax.
Though meditating by yourself can be an essential part of an entire practice, the steady guidance of a skilled teacher could be invaluable, as you’re getting started especially. Our minds comfortably wander so, obvious instructions of a teacher might help bring us back again to today’s moment.|and the explicit instructions of a trained teacher will help bring us returning to the current moment.
You can find this book on Amazon.
This book gives information on depression, which is probably the most common mental disorder within the United States. To some individuals, major depression can result in severe impairments that disrupt or limit one’s capability to enact significant life activities. Research indicates that mindfulness meditation may minimize depression, as well as anxiety and stress. The medical community suggests making use of mindfulness meditation to ease depression and anxiety in patients, and research has also documented ways mindfulness alters the brain. However, one uses meditation to serve as a practice where one can use as a technique – namely mindfulness or focusing the mental state throughout the particular object, thought, or activity – to coach attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
Today, there are a lot of things that help in keeping us entertained. Within the internet alone, there is a multitude of websites that do in a way that like video sharing sites, gaming sites, and other websites that cater to our interests. While there is nothing wrong with entertaining ourselves, the problem arises using our constant necessity of distractions. Because of that, it becomes difficult for us to focus on another thing. We do not need to take extreme measures to help us focus.
Some practices can perform the work for those. It includes the ability of meditation. People use meditation for various purposes, and improving concentration is one of them. Multiple methods serve reflection does its job.
One is through breathing exercises. Even a workout that’s as easy as establishing the times we inhale and exhale will do wonders for our ability to concentrate. While it may sound easy, it can be not very easy particularly if a person has to contend with distractions such as outside noise.
Another method is simply by reciting a mantra. A mantra is a phrase or perhaps a sound that’s described repeatedly. For Catholics, praying the rosary is a form of a mantra. The repetition becomes the center of the meditation to which the person’s attention becomes focused.
You will find various other methods by which meditation should improve concentration. However, the two stated above are the most simple and could help beginners begin with the practice.
Some individuals use meditation and do it faithfully for several weeks before finally abandoning it. Some become frustrated that they are not getting the outcomes that they will expect during first decided upon it. Below are several ideas that may help you maximize your practice of meditation.
Practice meditation in a quiet place. Because you cannot completely shut yourself from the distractions which you love, it will help a lot if you’re able to meditate in a quiet area, or at least somewhere, which decreases outside noise considerably.
Choose a room with a comfortable temperature. Whether the room’s too cold or too hot, both can destroy your mood for meditation. It could, therefore, serve to find a place with a thermostat, which allows you to adjust it onto a temperature where you’re more suitable.
Wear comfortable clothes. Again, the bane of folks practicing meditation is a distraction. You need to, therefore, wear comfortable clothes as they would likely help you be more at ease and relaxed.
Find a guru. Sometimes, it can be frustrating to experience meditation without using proper guidance. A guru can guide you and shall help a lot in providing the most from meditation.
Read books on meditation. Regardless of if you tend to have a guru or do not, it will aid in having reference materials that can help broaden your appreciation for this activity. Books do not merely present you with information but also insights concerning the right way to meditate better.
By now, you have heard that meditation is useful for you – that it could also replace your life.
High-performing specialists of all types have spoken of exactly how meditation assists them in dealing with stress and flourish in demanding situations. Prominent advocates feature Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Oprah Winfrey, and mass media professionals like Dan Harris and George Stephanopoulos. The right amount of Wall Street professionals and Google employees are into meditation, too, as well as; the late Steve opportunities were a significant lover.
But even with a remarkable directory of supporters, you might still question: exactly why? Exactly why is meditation theoretically so excellent, so useful, very transformative?
The lovely people at AsapSCIENCE took the time to enjoy the real study into meditation for one of the newest videos – you can check from the full video clip here, but listed below are seven things that medical investigation tells us in what meditation does for your body and mind.
Meditation will allow you to deal with tension and unfavorable thoughts. Multiple research has shown that meditation enables lower amounts of despair and stress and anxiety, in addition to helping individuals endure pain much better. The researchers determined that mindfulness meditation, in particular, might help people handle emotional tension. However, they state that more research is required into how meditation will help trigger positive mental health (beyond minimizing ramifications of harmful strains).
Besides, meditation could enhance positive abilities like storage and understanding. Studies have shown that meditators have particular minds with well-developed places that would be attached to the expertise of consciousness and emotional control. While it’s possible that people with such brains could be more likely to meditate in the first place, some other analysis does reveal that after doing a meditation plan, you can find alterations in players’ brains that are attached to memory, self-awareness, and point of view.
Meditating for many years is connected with mind changes that help you to get together with others. Buddhist monks and various other long-lasting meditation enthusiasts reveal much more developed head regions associated with empathy, although the reasons for which happen to be likely complex. Researchers have seen that meditation may also alter mind surf, causing more significant amounts of leader mind surf – which are generally associated with a state of wakeful relaxation. This can help lower bad feelings and feelings, including outrage, tension, and depression. The default setting system describes a system of head areas that are effective once the thoughts are inside a meditative condition – wakeful, at rest, and not focused on additional distractions. This frame of mind is associated with different positive effects by decreases in adverse stresses like anxiety and depression.
It does not take long to see meditation’s benefits – just days can transform your brain. Several tests also show that after an eight-week meditation program, players had denser brain structure in places connected to learning, emotion legislation, and memory space handling. Furthermore, they showed reduced amounts of gray matter in areas of the amygdala, a brain area connected to fear and stress. Within a study released in Social Cognitive And Affective Neuroscience, experts write that in general, individuals who stimulate a segment of the mind repeatedly (generally by learning a skill) show a boost in grey matter, while not having a part of the brain diminishes gray issue for a reason that place. They compose that in this instance, players who paid off their unique tension response more were the ones that showed the most significant decline in grey matter in this area for the brain.
some great benefits of meditation extend with other elements of yourself as well, together with your center. Mindfulness instruction was connected with diminished blood pressure and a more adjustable heart rate – which is a positive thing, which means you can better regulate blood circulation based on just how much oxygen you will want during the time. Scientists (and the American cardio Association) state a probable mechanism with this would be that meditation could lower the levels of anxiety hormones that can cause inflammation as well as other physical dilemmas.
There are also signs that meditation often helps improve immunity -or at least help defend against the flu virus. Within a learn, researchers took two customers together with one group perfect an eight-week meditation training course. At the end of the eight weeks, the individuals during the meditation class showed improved left-side brain activity. At that point, the researchers injected both teams with the flu vaccine. The meditators had been stronger immune response (their bodies produced more flu-fighting antibodies), during the higher the level of left-brain activity in general, the more the immune reaction.
Meditation may help prevent genetic damage. One learn revealed that cancer tumors survivors just who finished a meditation program showed increased telomere length – telomeres are necessary protein complexes that shield our very own family genes, and shortened telomeres are connected to different conditions. Scientists claim that the possible mechanism with this is lowering stress may help certain minerals that lengthen telomeres, though more investigation in more diverse populations required. Once the video below details, meditation is unable to substitute for taking good care of yourself – so you should keep going into the physician, getting physical exercise, and ingesting vegetables. It’s also well worth noting that much of the studies are nevertheless pretty initial, and even as we discover more about mental performance and exactly how it responds to several forms of the task, the point of view about how all these work works could transform. Nonetheless, it “may be described as a way of working out the human brain with additional health advantages. And since your mind controls everybody, then unwind and say ‘Ommmm…’ once inside a while.” Or for those weirded on by thinking “ommmm,” go ahead and spend some time to sit down and inhale.
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