Today, it is common knowledge that people live a very stressful life. We force ourselves to wake up too early in the morning despite having a massive lack of sleep since the night before just to go to school. We go to school just so we can have a job and go to work and then repeat the vicious cycle of waking up too early to punish ourselves all in an effort to make an ample amount of money that we usually spend on things that we do not really need and on people that we do not really like. The point I want to make here is that life is a stressful and a spinning game of charades. Life as we know it today is full of stress, problems, and hurdles. Sometimes, the mountain of problems and stressors become so overwhelming that all I wanted to do is to cease to exist.
One of the best ways to combat the stress that everyday life brings is to meditate . Although there is little academic evidences such as randomized controlled trials pointing to the proven effectiveness of this activity in minimizing the stress that has struck millions, if not billions, of people around the planet, most people would agree that it is indeed a simple and effective stress-relieving tool.
Anyone who feels stressed and heavily burdened can practice meditation. The greatest advantage of this activity is its simplicity. It is also free of charge and does not require the use of weights, bars, or any special gym equipment. All that a person who wants to motivate has to have is himself, his mind, and a small mat where he could sit and or lie down. Another major advantage of this stress-fighting activity is that it can be done virtually anywhere. Whether we are out for a jog or walk, riding public transportation, waiting in front of the doctor’s office, or even when in the middle of an important school or business meeting, we can easily find the ways and the means to meditate .
Medication can actually be considered as a tradition that has been practiced for at least several thousands of years. This activity was not really intended to be a stress-relieving or a relaxation exercise. It was originally intended to be a means of helping worshippers have a deeper understanding of the various mystical and sacred forces and elements of life .
Medication is actually a form of complementary medicine whose main aim is to create a tranquil mind and a deep state of relaxation. Medication could not really be called meditation without these two that we have just mentioned. Another important thing about meditation is that it requires the meditators to eliminate all their worries and stresses, their jumbled thoughts—things that can easily clog our minds and make us occupied and perform poorly at school or in the workplace. The ideal result of meditation is an enhanced physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being. As long as a person knows how to accomplish these three things, then there really is no reason for him not to be able to reap the benefits of meditation.
Benefits of Meditation
- Replenishes the energy and prepares the body and mind for new challenges
- Helps the individual gain a clearer perspective of life and a broader mindset, especially when it comes to difficult and stressful situations.
- Helps an individual manage his stress levels
- Makes the individual realize that there is so much in this planet that he can appreciate
- Helps balance the existence of negative and positive emotions
- Meditation may also prove to be helpful in the process of controlling—not treating, medical conditions that may be further aggravated by stress such as: hypertension, cardiovascular accident, or heart attack.
- Other medical conditions that may be alleviated by regular meditation :
1. Cancer
2. Fatigue Syndrome
3. Depression
4. Substance Abuse
5. Sleeping Disorders
6. Heart Disease
7. High Blood Pressure
Before diving into conclusions about the concrete benefits of meditation, it would always be best to consult your medical doctor first regarding the pros and cons of using meditation as a complement to the programs, medications, and medical procedures that should all be undertaken. It should also be remembered that meditation can never be prescribed as a substitute treatment to more mainstream treatments such as physical rehabilitation and or other medical surgical procedures.
Different Ways how to Meditate
- Self-Meditation
This form of meditation involves on one but yourself. While meditating, you would not normally want to pair yourself with a partner because meditation is not really a social activity but rather a solitary one .
- Guided Meditation
This form of meditation involves the formation of peaceful places and or image in one’s mind. These images serve as the factor that relaxes the person who meditates. In this approach, trying to incorporate as much senses as possible can prove to be very effective.
- Mantra Meditation
Under this form of meditation, the person who meditates usually repeats a mantra phrase or word over and over silently in his mind, or using a calming voice. The rationale behind this form of meditation is that once you repeat a mantra word or phrase over and over, the person’s ability to throw away distractions gets stronger.
Conclusion
In summary, it can be proven both by experience and science that meditation can indeed be an effective stress-relieving and relaxation tool that both students and persons who work can use. This activity was never really meant to replace mainstream forms of medical and surgical procedures because it was never created for that purpose. It can however, do a great deal of work in controlling medical conditions that can be further aggravated by stress and other emotional and psychological problems or merely as a complement to mainstream medical procedures. Aside from these effects and benefits, meditation is also a very simple activity, free to use, and can be done almost everywhere one goes.
References
Everly, G., & Lating, J. (2002). A Clinical Guide to the Treatment of Human Stress Response . 200.
Jevning, R., & Wallance, M. (1992). The Physiology of Meditation: A Review. Journaln of Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 415-424.
Kaplan, A. (2005). Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide. New York Schocken Books.
Lutz, D., & Davidson, L. (2007). Meditation and the Neuroscience of Consciousness: An Introduction. The Cambridge Handbook of Consciousness by Philip David Zeleazo, Morris Moscovitch, Evan Thompson.
Rosenkranz, M., Davidson, R., MacCoon, D., Sheridan, J., & Lutz, A. (2013). A Comparison of Mindfulness based Stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, 174.
