ME Magazine Fall 2008

Om, Sweet Om

How to harness the soothing power of meditation

MY MIND IS CONSTANTLY RACING. From the moment I wake up in the morning until my head hits the pillow at night, I’m thinking, planning, strategizing and, unfortunately, stressing over the many aspects of life I want to control to perfection.

Recently a perceptive friend suggested I try meditating. “It’ll help you let go,” she said.

I laughed. Out loud. Me? Carve out time each day to clear my mind … to think about nothing? Now there’s a challenge.

Meditate Not Medicate

Admittedly, I’ve been curious about meditation and its reported power to heal ever since my cardiologist recommended it as one of several lifestyle behaviors that could help manage my high blood pressure. (A National Institutes of Health study showed that the age-old practice reduces blockage in blood vessels, significantly lowering the risk of heart attack or stroke.) What’s more, a simple Google search turned up articles crediting meditation with everything from improved intelligence and work performance to decreased medical costs and reversal of the aging process.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), numerous studies are under way to determine whether meditation affords meaningful health benefits. But in truth, humans have been meditating for thousands of years as a way to improve well-being. Some say it got its start with primitive hunter-gatherers who calmed themselves while staring into crackling fires, but the earliest records of meditative techniques date to Hindu scriptures written 5,000 years ago.

Pick Your Practice

People talk about many different forms of meditation, but NCCAM singles out two types: concentrative and mindfulness.

In its simplest form, concentrative meditation centers on rhythmic breathing—slow, deep and even. In and out. As you absorb yourself in the repetition of inhaling and exhaling, you clear your mind of all thoughts, reaching a point of calm and enhanced clarity. Those who practice this Hinduism-based type of meditation also “concentrate” on sounds (“om”) or objects such as a flickering candle flame. The highly practiced and studied Transcendental Meditation falls into this category.

Mindfulness meditation, rooted in Buddhism, involves focusing your mind on the thoughts and actions you’re experiencing—without judgment. You’re taught to be in the moment, to listen to the chatter in your mind, the sound of your footsteps. But it teaches you not to be critical. Mindfulness meditation can be done anywhere, while doing anything.

Getting Started

Practicing and benefiting from meditation shouldn’t be complicated and don’t require a commitment to a certain approach or technique. Just keep a few things in mind, recommends NCCAM:

Choose a quiet spot. You don’t need a room with statues and incense. But attempting to meditate in the family room while the kids are playing their video games probably won’t work if you’re a beginner. Look for a place with minimal distractions where you can concentrate.

Pick your posture. You don’t have to twist yourself into a lotus pretzel. Sit comfortably, stand or lie down if you’d like. Just don’t get so comfortable that you fall asleep. As you perfect your practice, you may even be able to meditate while walking.

Find your focus. Breathing is a good place to start. Inhale deeply and slowly from the abdomen rather than your chest. Some meditators choose a word or phrase (known as a mantra) as their focal point. Others choose an object. This helps bring your mind back to a single point when it starts drift off.

Be positive. Don’t let distractions or wandering thoughts get in your way. You’ll have them. Just let them pass and then refocus.

Practice Makes Perfect

Experts recommend devoting 20 minutes a day to your practice. I’ve taken baby steps in that direction, spending 10 minutes each evening before bed in my quiet space. There, I keep a tiny ceramic ladybug given to me by my daughter. It’s my focal point and a reminder of why it’s good to quiet the mind. During those 10 minutes, I let go. And though I haven’t slowed down by day or totally eliminated stress, I do seem to sleep easier and wake up in the morning feeling more refreshed. Try it. —By Beth Tomkiw

Meditation Invitation

Meditation has ties to Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, among other religions. But you don’t have to believe in a higher power to benefit from its relaxing, stress-reducing influences.

Twice as Nice

Meditation alone helps relieve stress. But in combination with other relaxation methods, it will have an even greater effect on your overall well-being. Here are some perfect pairings.

Meditation + Massage. C.G. Funk, Massage Envy VP of Industry Relations and Product Development, says massage and meditation can be a beneficial combination. "Therapists often use some form of meditation with clients during massage to help them relax and become more aware or present," she explains. "Sometimes the therapist will have the client focus on their breath as a way of calming and centering, or they may coach the client to visualize a peaceful scene that creates a relaxation response."

Meditation + Aromatherapy. Though meditation is usually recognized as a spiritual practice, numerous studies have shown that meditation also has many health benefits. It provides a simple way to balance your physical, emotional and mental state, and its countless values have been known and practiced for thousands of years. Veria is dedicated to helping you achieve that by providing high-quality products for your meditation practice, such as Veria candles and incense, which come in a variety of relaxing scents to soothe the mind and melt the day away.

Meditation + Music. Look for soft, soothing organic sounds. Veria offers spirit-nurturing CDs that create a shift in mood and change the energy of the day, as well as meditation zafus (traditional meditation cushions) to provide a high-quality firm foundation for your meditation practice.

If you'd like more information on these and other fine products, visit www.veria.com/meditation.

Thank you