If you have a few minutes to relax and meditate, you will be able to relieve stress and anxiety and fight various mental disorders such as depression.
More and more people are enjoying the benefits of practicing meditation. Finding your “inner self” thanks to this practice can be really satisfying. Recent studies indicate that meditation helps eliminate stress, as well as other benefits.
That’s right, the evil of the 21st century, which causes so many problems to the body, can be reduced through meditation. There is no need to sign up for an expensive course, go to a Zen temple in Asia or embark on a spiritual journey to the mountains.
You just have to practice anti-stress meditation at home! In this article we explain how to do it.
How do we cope with stress?
This little word that we always see in the newspapers, which we mention during chats with friends and visits to the doctor (and which until a few years ago was practically unknown) is the cause of so many health problems.
Being stressed is such a normal thing nowadays that we don’t worry about its consequences and don’t realize it’s bad for our health.
Some people decide to resort to medications (anxiolytics, antidepressants or sleeping pills), others opt to go on vacation or decide to quit their jobs to eliminate stress . However, these drastic decisions can at least be delayed by trying to solve the problem through regular meditation.
It would be equally useful to change our habits. Practicing meditation for many does not mean that it is enough to sit in the lotus position a few minutes a day. It is necessary to change our life 360 °.
What we eat, how we deal with problems and how we breathe are very important issues that need to be analyzed and improved. It is also advisable to look for the positive side of everything that happens to us, learn to interpret the signals that our body sends us and stop running to keep up with the thousand commitments of our agenda.
Can Meditation Fight Stress?
Whether at home or at work, when we live in a stressful situation, we don’t breathe regularly, our heart beats faster and we are nervous. Instead practicing meditation causes us to get:
- Calm
- Inner peace
- Regular and deep breathing
- Relaxation
- Concentration
- Sleep conciliation
It is very important to understand what happens to our mind when we are stressed. The brain plays a fundamental role in ensuring our balance and our state of health.
If we practice meditation several times a week, we will be able to reach that state of tranquility that we need to deal with any problem or adverse situation.
Breathing and stress
One of the fundamental aspects of practicing meditation is breathing. But what does it mean to breathe well? Conscious breathing occurs when air enters our lungs quietly and deeply.
In this way, we feed on oxygen and reduce pressures and worries. When we exhale, we eliminate everything that limits us and that weighs on us.
All emotions are related to breathing. If we are nervous and not very calm, inhaling briefly and hastily can lead to negative consequences for our body. On the contrary, when we meditate, we breathe so that all the negativity is gone and the positive things remain.
Most people can’t breathe well. We only use 40% of our lung capacity. But don’t worry, with practice you will be able to increase this percentage.
There is a technique called healing breathing, which involves combining meditation with breathing and some yoga exercises.
According to the masters of this ancestral discipline, most of the stress can be eliminated through breathing. You just have to try.
The next time you find yourself stuck in traffic, your boss is addressing you in a way that you don’t think is correct, or that financial problems are on the verge of creating (for the umpteenth time) an argument with your partner … simply , breathe.
If you have the chance, close your eyes and inhale deeply at least 5 times. Once you have completed this process, you will feel calmer and with a clear mind, ready to see everything in perspective.
Meditating at home step by step
We usually don’t have the time to go to a meditation center or to become a Tibetan monk. However, it is possible to put aside all the thoughts and problems that surround us and dedicate a couple of minutes a day to tranquility and serenity.
If you feel that the (ever-increasing) amount of responsibilities and obligations is beyond you, it is certainly a good time to develop this inner peace that you so much need. Depression, anxiety and stress can be easily reduced by meditating.
Miriam Subirana’s book “Mental Serenity” outlines the steps to follow to meditate.
1. Look for a suitable place
It can be your room, the living room or the garden. The important thing is that it is a quiet, welcoming place and that no one can interrupt you. The light must be soft. If you go to meditate outdoors, you can do it for example at dawn.
Relaxing music can help you make the setting absolutely perfect. Some also choose to light incense and various essences.
2. Sit on the ground
If you have health problems that prevent you from doing so, you can sit on a chair or sofa. Otherwise it is advisable to adopt the famous “lotus position”.
Back straight, free of tension, shoulders and arms relaxed and legs crossed. The hands should be placed gently on the thighs. The eyes must be closed to ensure greater concentration.
3. Breathe deeply while practicing meditation
Air must always enter the nose and fill the lungs completely (or at least as much as possible). Hold the air for a few seconds and then exhale slowly. Imagine that every time you inhale your whole body is nourished. Repeat the process several times.
4. Remove negative thoughts and focus on positive feelings
The vital thing is not to judge or hold back all that whirlwind of ideas that will appear in your mind. Just let them run, like clouds in the sky. The first few times you meditate it will be a little difficult to “leave your mind blank”, but with a little practice you will succeed.
What you feel when practicing meditation is very important. Make an effort to ensure that your feelings are pleasant and related to the good things in your life.
