LOWVELD March 22

physical well-being. Some studies also
show that in certain cases, meditation
may help with the management of
anxiety, depression, chronic pain,
high blood pressure, IBS, disrupted
sleep patterns, migraines and tension
headaches.
Think of your mind as a computer or
phone that is constantly gathering and
sorting through data and information,
filtering what it needs, discarding what
it doesn’t.
Eventually, burnout and overload
become too much to ignore. Whether
you are stuck in traffic, sitting at your
desk, going for a walk or sitting in a
doctor’s waiting room, you can take 10
minutes to focus and bring your mind
back into perspective - clearing away
the overload of information that builds
up on a daily basis, creating stress and
anxiety.
The most important elements to remember
• Breathing - take deep, even breaths,
expanding your lungs and slowing
your breathing rate down
• Concentration - free your mind of
any distracting thoughts and try to
focus on your breathing or a mantra
• Surroundings - in the beginning, try to
meditate somewhere quiet, preferably
where you won’t be disturbed
• Position - you can meditate while
walking, lying down or sitting up - the
key is to be comfortable.
There are many different types
of meditation, and many of the
techniques that are aimed at relaxation
of the body and mind are based on
forms or elements of meditation,
such as visualisation, mindfulness,
Qi Gong, mantras, yoga and Tai Chi.
You can attend classes for any of
these, and there are also a number
of downloadable apps (some of
them free).
Meditating need not be rigid and
formal, and don’t be put off by the
thought of sitting stiffly on a yoga mat
and chanting “ohm” at regular intervals
- unless that is how you want to do it.
You can choose to start or end your
day with a session or snatch a few
minutes during the day when you have
a gap - the key is that time spent must
be quality time. Practising meditation
can be as simple as becoming more
aware of your body and concentrating
on various sensations, deep, focused
breathing, reading sacred texts or
poetry, praying, listening to beautiful
music, writing in a journal or sketching.
There are no hard and fast rules. This
is about serenity and mindfulness,
and anything that makes you feel
stressed or uncomfortable has
no place. Learning how to keep
your mind focused takes time and
patience. Adapt your time and type of
meditation according to how you are
feeling and an easy rhythm will soon
start to form, and you will find that
your emotional, mental and physical
health will thank you.
The emotional benefits
of meditation
• Gaining a new perspective on
stressful situations • Building skills
to manage your stress • Increasing
self-awareness • Focusing on
the present • Reducing negative
emotions • Increasing imagination
and creativity • Increasing patience
and tolerance.