Here to Help You Find Your Way OM....
“Life is stressful, so we must learn how to better manage stress.”
There are countless approaches, benefits, techniques, and ways to relax and meditate. And if you’re like most people, you’re probably looking for a simple and comprehensive overview. Where should you start? What are the different approaches? When should you meditate and for how long? And, what are the benefits of meditation and what does science tell us about it?
We live in an extraordinary time in history that requires us to be highly competitive in order to keep up with the demands of our careers, families, and societal expectations. Sometimes the stress can make us ill! We need to chill….
That's why FRESH model includes meditation. We find ways to help better manage our physiological and psychological responses to stress, and like to say we are here to help you “Find your way OM….”
Meditation is... What exactly?
Julie at the Rubin Museum of Art's "OM Lab."
A lesson from About Meditation:
"Let’s start at the beginning: Meditation is a 2,500+ year old practice for training the mind. Historically, a practice reserved for reclusive monks, kung-fu masters, austere yogis, and ochre-robed swamis, it’s now the preferred performance-enhancing practice of R&B moguls, Super Bowl Champions, and A-list celebrities."
But, meditation is portable and is for everybody!
According to The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Meditation is a mind and body practice. There are many types of meditation, most of which originated in ancient religious and spiritual traditions. Some forms of meditation instruct the practitioner to become mindful of thoughts, feelings, and sensations and to observe them in a nonjudgmental way. Stop, breathe, repeat.
A couple of ways to go OM...
- Mindfulness Meditation originated in Buddhism and is based on having an increased awareness and total acceptance of the present. The meditator is taught to bring all her attention to the sensation of the flow of the breath in and out of the body, focusing attention on what is being experienced, without reacting to or judging that experience. This helps the meditator learn to experience thoughts and emotions with greater balance and acceptance.
- Transcendental Meditation originated in the Vedic tradition in India. The meditator uses a mantra (a word, sound, or phrase repeated silently) to prevent distracting thoughts from entering the mind. The intent of the practice is described as to allow the mind to settle into a quieter state and the body into a state of deep rest, ultimately leading to a state of relaxed alertness or awareness.
Meditation Training Wheels
Many of us might think of trying meditation, but it can be difficult to know where to begin. Last year, Dr. Rob was honored to speak at the Mindful Business Conference on behalf of Whil.com, where he met Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier. Dan created a great video on the basics and how to get started.
Three steps:
- Take a good seat
- Pay attention to the breath
- And when your attention wanders, return. The wandering part can be difficult to handle!
Register and instantly gain access to 30+ training goals supported by 200+ programs and 1,250+ unique sessions based in science, mindfulness and positive psychology.
Stay tuned for our next blog post, where you'll get your Meditation prescription from Dr. Rob! But you don't need to think about that yet... Just be present and you'll find your way OM.