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Health Benefits of Meditation

By on May 31, 2017
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By Karen Gallagher

When you hear the word “meditation,” what images come to mind? Sitting cross-legged on a pillow, eyes closed, possibly chanting? A religious group engaged in deep and mindful concentration?

For beginners, the simplest form of meditation is breathing. Deep breathing can easily be done anytime of day. The goal of a breathing meditation is to allow the mind to rest from thoughts, which means allowing thoughts to pass through, rather than tending to each one as it enters the mind. Learning to be present is the goal of meditation.

In a breathing meditation, find a comfortable seat and allow the spine to be tall. Simply concentrate on the breathing, and make inhales and exhales the same length. Breathe from the stomach rather than the chest, and allow the belly to go soft, rising and falling with each breath. If a thought enters your mind, acknowledge it, and let it go. Allow your mind to be still.

There’s no right or wrong way to meditate. In the beginning, you may find it difficult to slow your mind and tap into your inner consciousness, so it might be helpful to meditate first thing in the morning, before you’re distracted with your daily tasks. Once you’ve strengthened your meditation practice, experiment with meditating at other times, like at your desk before a long meeting, after a workout, at bedtime – really, whenever it’s possible to close your eyes and allow your focus to move inward.

Meditation works most effectively when practiced daily, so start with short meditations but stay consistent. It’s more effective to meditate for just five minutes a day at the same time every day than for 20 minutes once or twice a week.

As you experience the benefits, experiment with new types of meditation. Meditation will help slow your mind, allowing you to tune into your intuition and live in deeper alignment with your intentions.

Health Benefits of Meditation:

• Allergies
• Reduces Anxiety
• Asthma
• Binge eating and emotional eating
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Heart disease
• Lowers high blood pressure
• Decrease chronic pain such as, tension headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle and joint problems
• Sleep problems
• Substance abuse

Mental Benefits of Meditation:

• Anxiety decreases
• Emotional stability improves
• Creativity increases
• Happiness increases
• Gain clarity and peace of mind
• Problems become smaller
• Gain more focus

Meditation makes you more aware and allows for your inner attitude to determine your happiness.

 

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yesAs a fitness expert, nutritionist and holistic health coach, Karen brings a unique blend of experience gained working in the health industry for over 20 years. Her holistic health coaching offers an individualized process to help you move forward in life and to end the diet/binge cycle for good. She provides coaching tools and assists with strategies to promote self-discovery and the exploration of different perspectives to help inspire you to reach your health and wellness goals. She has had great success with her clients by taking a holistic approach to health. Karen believes every individual requires support, knowledge and compassion to achieve great health and wellness.

Website: www.karen-gallagher.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenriedelgallagher/
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