Meditation
By Addison Landry
Meditation has become quite a buzz word in the wellness world as a remedy to the busy mind, but before it became trendy, meditation was something more personal - mostly limited to close knit circles and for practicing yogis. Meditation can be worth its weight in gold: supporting a reduction in stress, improving sleep routines, increasing energy levels, helping us to feel calm, and supporting our general, emotional wellbeing. In a world that is changing and evolving so rapidly, harnessing your inner calm is of the utmost importance, and worth taking the time to explore.
When I talk to people about meditation, I often hear things like “I can’t sit still, let alone in silence’ or I don’t have time for that.’ While I completely understand these sentiments (and have even felt them from time to time!) I know that this mindset can be overcome, leading to amazing growth and the development of a wonderful meditation practice. Stemming from my studies in the field of Morphogenics, Kundalini Science, and Energetic Nutrition, my focus lies in helping my clients to find balance within all aspects of their lives, learning about their bodies and ways to amplify their energy and vibrations; I deeply believe that meditation is absolutely key to health and wellness. I have seen and felt first hand that carving out time to meditate daily will allow your day to be more productive and enjoyable. I want to show you how accessible and customizable a meditation practice can be, so that you can begin to feel how it can create changes within your body. Creating a daily practice can be easy, and I want to help you get started. After all, creating a deeper self-awareness so that you can learn to trust yourself is the greatest form of growth!
Meditation is a technology designed to create a mental shift through the use of breath, movement, and sound vibration. The various forms of stress and anxiety that many people are experiencing reflect the need to recalibrate our minds to adapt, synchronize, and evolve with the world around us. The key is to use meditation as a tool to strengthen our physical, emotional, and spiritual natures so that we are not only able to survive, but thrive, in our circumstances. It’s a tool to reduce anxiety and the stress response - it’s the ultimate upgrade. Just like when we upgrade our phones and apps to become more efficient and up to date, each time we meditate we upgrade our brains and biochemistries to live life to its fullest potential. The calming nature of sitting down to meditate (whether that’s with music, guided or silent) allows the body and mind to rest. This deep rest allows the body to release the stress it’s holding and use that energy for innate healing and rejuvenation. If our mind is like a phone, too many apps open causes the phone to slow down, to be less efficient, and to force the battery to run out quickly. Closing down the apps allows it to work better. Similarly, meditation can help your brain preserve power, be more efficient, and become more focused.
The benefits of meditation are endless. Researchers at John Hopkins and Stanford have scientifically validated its benefits: it boots your immune system, decreases anxiety, increases social connections and emotional intelligence, increases our brain growth, and rejuvenates is in order to improves productivity. We have control over our thoughts and the way we respond to the world. Using meditation as a tool for managing these things allows us to become aware of our existing thought patterns and stress management techniques; it allows us adapt to the world around us. Meditation keeps you real; it allows you to gain perspective, helps you process the stories that you play in your head, and helps you release anything that no longer serving you. Keeping a daily practice should never feel like a chore - it can be something you look forward to every day. It’s about teaching your body that you are worth showing up for, and that time for yourself is important. Ultimately that’s when true magic happens, right?
We are all unique, so the way we meditate will also be unique. There are infinite options and many different practices to choose from - I know this can feel intimidating. The key is to start by choosing time limit and style of meditation that feels comfortable to you. Start small and easy, then work your way up if you feel so inclined. Below are my tips for getting started.
There is no such thing as a completely quiet mind. When you start, just allow the thoughts to come and go, fighting them will only intensify them.
Find a comfortable position to sit in, could be in a comfy chair or outside on the grass. Best to be seated rather than lying down, as you may fall asleep. If you are using meditation to help you fal asleep, lying down is fine.
Meditation can work for you in any time increment - you can start with five minutes or go all the way up to two hours (or more!)! I personally love meditating when I wake up so I start the day feeling centered, but any time of the day works just fine. It’s all about finding what’s right for you. If you immediately meditate when you begin to feel the first signs of stress, you can prevent the nervous system from entering a heightened state and maintain a calm energy for dealing with your stressors.
Focus on big, slow breaths from the belly. As you breathe in, the belly should extend outward - inflating like a balloon. As you breathe out, the belly should deflate and return in, unless instructed in a guided meditation to breathe with a different pattern.
There are many different types of meditation; there’s no such thing as doing it the wrong way. For guidance, you can attend classes, follow an app, subscribe to a video or audio series, or simply search on youTube for a guided practice. You can search for any of the following to kick off your search for the practice that’s right for you: Kundalini Yogic Science (RAMA school of applied technology is my personal favorite), Transcendental Meditation, Mantra Meditation, The Art of Living Breathing, Headspace App, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Yoga Nidra, Ziva Meditation, or Charka Tuning Meditations.
It’s easy to say we don’t have time to meditate, but if you think about the amount of time you spend scrolling through Instagram (we all do it!) I think you’ll find that if you reprioritize, you can find time to squeeze in a 10 min meditation that will change the way you look at your day. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Meditation is the greatest gift we can give ourselves, and the best part is, it doesn’t cost a thing! You have absolutely nothing to lose. You will learn to upgrade your mind and body to transform your approach to everything you do. Our minds our powerful! Let’s give them the tools to become self aware, to listen to our bodies, and to set ourselves up to be successful, mindful members of our communities.
The most successful person in any given room is the most relaxed. - Guru Jagat
If you’d like to check out some further resources, please see below!
Immunity
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/content/65/4/564.short
Anxiety
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2006.12.817
Social Connections
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2008-14857-004
Brain
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811909000044
Productivity
http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1979862
By Addison Landry
Addison Landry is an Energetic Nutritionist who has dedicated her life to being a master healer and teacher. Her approach to wellness focuses on providing the tools for you to be own true healer, so she uses energy techniques and education practices that make you to feel empowered in guiding yourself to vitality.