You were on my mind!  Yep literally!  I rarely talk about Mediation and I should !!!

One of the health practices that I am most grateful for is my meditation practice.  I spend at least 10 minutes meditating before I do my yoga practice.  Meditation is the unique state of consciousness that allows mental alertness with one’s self and a state of restfulness at the same time.

I don’t know about you but it seems like the world we live in today is fraught with high stress and mental anguish.  I am so sad to read a recent  WSJ article over the weekend. It  talks about the ever growing number of teens that suffer from social anxiety and lack of true companionship due to the over exposure to social media.

Then there is the rise of gun violence and higher and higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders.  It seems like things are moving way too fast and we have to make a conscious effort to slow down, be quiet and get back in touch with being human and being with ourselves.

Meditation techniques are designed to temporarily interrupt our endless internal conversation, which  by the way is usually negative. It helps us replace that internal dialogue with new perceptions and interpretations about our reality and ourselves.

Meditation transforms our emotional state from anguish to hope and the science and research shows that regular practice has a profound positive effect on our immune system and our state of wellbeing.

I am passionate about this topic because I have personally experienced the transformations that can happen.  The practice has helped me on so many occasions to drop into a place of calm when everything around me is a little crazy.  It has helped me heal from deep loss and in my role as a doctor it allows me to be very present for my patients.

If you have been struggling with pain, loss, anxiety or infertility then meditation is the gateway to help you heal.

So if you don’t know where to start here are a few simple tips

1. Make the commitment to yourself that you are going to do this each and every day no matter what.  Choosing you is the hardest step. Start with 5-10 minutes once a day and then once that has become a habit add more time up to 20 minutes, twice a day.  Get up a little earlier if you have kids so you have this time for  yourself.
2. Start by finding a quiet place, sit comfortably, close your eyes and notice your breath and your body signals.  (Set a timer and be keep your eyes closed for a couple of minutes so you are sure to come out of meditation slowly).  Stick with it.  This is a practice that you will do for the rest of your life so it is OK if you struggle at first.  Even more reason to sit quietly for a few minutes each day.
3. Once you have found a routine of quite listening, then I think it is time to experiment with the various apps and techniques that are available to you.

Once you have been doing this practice for a while you will start to notice that you are less stressed, happier, more present, more in the moment, more creative, more grateful for what you have and your overall health will improve.

I would like to suggest that we get to place where  we teach our kids to meditate at a very young age so they have the coping skills to navigate their future.  Can you imagine what it would be like…… OM!

If you enjoyed this article please share with others.  I  would also appreciate your feedback.

P.S.  If there are any topics you would like to hear more about please let me know as I would be happy to provide what I know.

Have a happy and healthy week.

Dr Pia