HOW THIS MAMA OF THREE MEDITATES HER WAY TO GREAT HEALTH

Run here, run there, we run through each day and it’s easy to forget to pay attention to the here and now with kindness and curiosity (mindfulness). Being a mom of three, I practically have to hide in the corner of my closet to have some me time and even then it’s short-lived. This year, I vowed to do my best to include just ten minutes of quiet time alone to sit and remind myself to practice just being present – my version of a time-out (sans the kicking and screaming). Mindfulness meditation is really something just about everyone can add into their lives to help improve their emotional, mental and overall health. The popularity of mindfulness meditation continues to grow as people learn about the incredible health benefits - And wow, there are plenty! Mindfulness meditation is defined as a form of meditation aimed to help us develop the skill of paying attention to our inner and outer experiences with love, patience, acceptance and compassion.

Mindfulness Meditation For Weight Loss

Learning to be mindful while on a weight loss program is a key ingredient to success and helps one to:

           *Avoid eating while multitasking.

           *Slow down and focus on each bite.

           *Listen to what your body may be telling you i.e. stop eating sooner rather than later.

           *Recognize how this food makes you feel.

           *Increase awareness of your cravings.

           *Plan and integrate healthier food choices.

Mindfulness Meditation To Break Addictions

Mindfulness meditation builds mental discipline that may help break dependencies and addictions by increasing willpower, self-control and self-awareness of the triggers for unwanted addictive behaviors. This mental discipline may help you redirect unwanted habits and impulses, recover from addiction, and may even help with weight loss.

Mindfulness Meditation For Stress Reduction

Reducing stress is one of the main reasons that people practice mindfulness meditation. Too much stress can cause depression, disrupt sleep, cause added fatigue, increase blood pressure, contribute to cloudy thinking and cause stress-related conditions like irritable bowel syndrome. Mindfulness meditation can help reduce the feeling of stress by paying attention to the here and now without judgment.

Mindfulness Meditation For Happiness

Mindfulness Meditation can improve depression, self-image and help create a more positive outlook. Meditation may be able to help create positive thinking and a more optimistic view of life.  

Mindfulness Meditation To Lose Anxiety

Mindfulness meditation may be able to reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders: social anxiety, paranoid thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, phobia, panic attacks and other anxiety-related mental health issues. Less stress can mean less anxiety, so it’s important to add activities into your life that help ease both stress and anxiety. Yoga combines the mental/physical and provides an excellent method to not only help to reduce stress/anxiety, but also improve strength and flexibility.

Mindfulness Meditation For Better Sleep

Mindfulness meditation can help relax your body, release tension and help calm your thoughts, which sets the stage for better sleep. Creating a more peaceful state can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and then therefore increase sleep quality. This is a plus for the many that struggle with insomnia.

Mindfulness Meditation For Lower Blood Pressure

The higher your blood pressure, the harder your heart has to work to pump blood. Over time, this can lead to poor heart function that increases the risk for heart attack and stroke. Blood pressure decreases during meditation and especially over time in people who practice mindfulness meditation on a regular basis.

Mindfulness Meditation For Memory

Mindfulness meditation may improve mental focus, mental clarity and memory and may help fight dementia and memory loss. An easy method of mediation that helps support memory is Kirtan Kriya. It combines a chant or mantra with a repetitive movement of the fingers. This form of meditation can help focus thoughts and calm the body.  

Mindfulness meditation can be done anywhere without any type of special equipment or props. Even a few minutes of mindfulness meditation each day can have huge benefits on all areas of your life. There is no wrong or right way to meditate. Becoming more mindful of the present moment, without judgment, may be a good way to begin until you find the best method that suits your lifestyle. For now, hiding in my closet is how I get my Om on and I am feeling calmer because of it. Go find your Om!