Meditation and Mindfulness
- Nov 24, 2020
- 5 min read
Posted by: Autumn Yang
I think it is safe to say that 2020 has been an incredibly stressful time for everyone. The start of a new decade has become the end of so many things. It feels as though the world went on pause for months, and daily-life activities were thrown off completely. With everyone separated from their loved ones, unable to go out and have social gatherings, people losing their jobs, people getting sick, it has just been one overwhelming year. If you are feeling overwhelmed by everything that is going on, you might be experiencing sensory overload. And if that is the case, then if all we can do is sit at home and keep our distance while we try to learn how to adjust to our new "normal," then maybe incorporating some meditation and mindfulness into our day can help.
Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality. - Thích Nhát Hanh
One of the main reasons why someone might practice meditation and mindfulness, is because of the loud and overbearing distractions that crowd our minds. Being pulled every which way, and forced to be attentive to multiple things at once, may cause us to become too overwhelmed and not know how to handle everything. Even with a global pandemic that is forcing us to adjust our previous routines, life's stressors are still very much present. It is important to know that there are ways to train yourself to relax and cope with your stress.
So what is it?
Meditation and mindfulness are practices that are used to help let go of negativity and anxiety, while teaching us how to slow down our uncontrollable racing thoughts, while providing a bridge to unite our mind and body. Through exercises that help clear the mind of any invading thoughts, and focusing on the control of breathing, meditation and mindfulness are methods to help minimize overbearing stressors that could lead to sensory overload, and train our bodies to come back to mental homeostasis.
Mindfulness on its own, is seen as a way to allow people to connect with their emotions (even painful and negative ones), and see it as a hurdle to jump over to experience growth. Rather than something to avoid and react adversely towards.
Background
Meditation and mindfulness go hand-in-hand with one another. Meditation can be dated back to thousands of years ago, in Asian religious practices--specifically, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. Originally, meditation or self-reflective practices was a way to reach enlightenment, as well as, "cleanse" and "purify the soul. However, self-reflective practices are not limited to just these regions. Although the Western religions and practices are more skeptical than Eastern practices, they have been coming around to accept them gradually.
And what started off as a practice to reach total mind and soul union, has become a popular mainstream practice in America-- thanks to the "Hippie Movement" back in the 60s-70s. Over the course of the last couple decades, meditation has been recognized as a behavior-modification technique, because of its influence of calming the mind and changing perspective. Additionally, there has been proven studies to show that practicing meditation can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease; one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
Health Benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness
Improves mental health
Reduces stress levels
Reduces inflammation
Reduces anxiety
Helps cope with depression symptoms
Reduces risk of coronary heart disease
Reduces risk of hypertension (high blood pressure)
Increases awareness and focus
Promotes positive thinking
Promotes self-acceptance
Proper Use of Meditation and Mindfulness
There are many ways to practice meditation and mindfulness. One common way is to practice what is called 'mindfulness meditation.' This practice is combining both mindfulness and meditation into one practice. You can do each separately, but doing them together provides a great relaxing experience that allows us to center ourselves.
The steps on how to quickly practice mindfulness meditation at home are:
Finding a quiet and relaxing area to sit down at. You are going to want to be aware of what your legs are doing, and criss-cross them for a more comfortable and steady sitting position.
Fix your posture so that you are sitting up with a straightened back, but not so much that it creates tension in your lower back.
Bring your arms down so that your hands can rest comfortably in your lap. All the while making sure that you have no tension in your body, and finding a natural relaxed position.
Next you want to drop your chin slightly, and lower your gaze so that what is in front of you is barely out of focus. You can also choose to close your eyes completely, but it isn't required.
This is when you are going to want to start focusing on your body, and making sure that you are in a relaxed position, with little to no tension. Focus on your breathing for a few moments.
Follow your breathing to bring more awareness to it. Follow the air going in through your nostrils, down your throat and into your lungs as your chest expands. Then follow it back out as you slowly exhale it out, feeling your chest gradually deflate.
As you continue to do this, you may notice your mind drift away from your breathing and to something else. That's okay, just gently bring yourself back to your breathing as to not alert your relaxed state.
If you still experience your mind drifting to other thoughts, that's okay. When it happens, just try to sit and think without any reaction or further analyzing. Just let the thoughts come and go as you sit and focus on your breathing and your continual body relaxation.
When you are ready, gently lift your gaze (or open your eyes if they were closed), and slowly start focusing on the sounds around you. Notice the sensation in your body, and recognize whether you feel relaxed or not. Reflect on what worked for you and what didn't.
This practice can be done from 10 minutes to however long you would like. It can also be accompanied by soothing and relaxing music/instrumentals. Whatever can help you create a calming and uninterrupted environment.
*It is important to note that the idea of meditation and mindfulness isn't to "cure" or find a solution to the world's problems or your personal problems; but rather to teach you how to accept those experiences and still be able to find some peace despite it.
For more information on other versions of practicing meditation and mindfulness, please visit these provided guided videos for a more detailed experience!
References
Ackerman, C. M. E. (2020, October 13). 23 Amazing Health Benefits of Mindfulness for Body and Brain. PositivePsychology.Com. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-mindfulness/
A Harvard Health Article. (n.d.). Benefits of Mindfulness - HelpGuide.org. HelpGuide. https://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm#:%7E:text=Mindfulness%20improves%20physical%20health.&text=Mindfulness%20can%3A%20help%20relieve%20stress,sleep%2C%20and%20alleviate%20gastrointestinal%20difficulties.
Mindful Staff. (2019, October 18). How To Practice ness Meditation. Mindful: Healthy Mind, Health Life. https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-how-to-do-it/
Seaward, B. L. (2018). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and welt-being. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 370-372
Wong, C. (2020, June 22). Mindfulness Meditation: What It Is and How to Practice. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/mindfulness-meditation-88369#:%7E:text=Mindfulness%20meditation%20is%20a%20mental,awareness%20of%20body%20and%20mind.
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