Get ready to start the New Year feeling calm and centered.The Camden Public Library is kicking off its annual Jumpstart January series on Thursday, January 6, at 6 p.m., with a guided Yoga Nidra meditation class that participants can enjoy from the comfort of their own homes. The program is designed to help bring relief and recovery from post-holiday exhaustion.

This free online program will be facilitated by Camden-based health and wellness coach Hester Kohl Brooks. Find the Zoom link to register to attend atlibrarycamden.org.

Yoga Nidra is a sleep-based meditation in which your mind is guided to the deepest state of relaxation imaginable, said Brooks, in a Camden Public Library news release. As your body relaxes, you become open to meeting emotional and mental patterns that are holding you back, combining the benefits of meditation with the benefits of sleep.

To participate, audience members simply need to log-in, find a cozy spot to lie down or recline, and listen to the guided meditation. There will be an opportunity at the end of the program for participants to reflect on the experience and ask questions.

Brooks is a trainedDaring to RestYoga Nidra facilitator.She specializes in helping women with anxiety find their inner island of peace through developing a Yoga Nidra practice.

The librarys Jumpstart January series is a collection of programs aimed atstimulating creativity and inspiring people to try something new in the New Year. Find information about the other four programs in the series, Writing a Legacy Letter on January 7, Dancing with Your Muse on January 11, Coat Pins . . . with Intentions on January 12, and Cardboard Portraits on January 25, atlibrarycamden.org.

See more here:

Resting into the New Year with online yoga nidra and Camden Library - PenBayPilot.com

Show Caption

Hide Caption

Video: How Thai Buddhist monks celebrate New Year's Eve

Time is an illusion, the Buddha taught. So, how do the Thai Buddhist monks of Wat Mongkoltepmune spend New Year's Eve. Four hours of chanting.

James McGinnis, Bucks County Courier Times

Bang pots. Catch some fireworks. Or go seek inner peace.

On New Years Eve, five Buddhist monks will gather at the Mongkoltepmunee temple in Bensalem to chant age-old blessings of happiness, protectionand peace.

After two hours of incantationstarting at 10 p.m., the monks will stop at midnight to meditate and bless all thosein attendance at the temple at 3304 Knights Road.

Then, they will return to chantingfor another two hours before the sun rises onJan1, 2022.

New Years is not a particularly importantevent for Thai Buddhist monks, who believe time is an illusion. The Buddha taught to live in the present moment. Don't worry about the future or past.

Yet, karma is also a factor for the faithful. The things you doin 2022coulddetermine your status in the next life.

We set the intention for happiness and peace, said Monk DhammaratMahorjan of the New Year's ceremony.

You must find happiness and peace," he explained."If you are not at peace, how can you help others?

Blessings will be chosen for peace and happiness in the new year, Mahorjan said.

If you go to Mongkoltepmunee, masks are required when inside the temple, and you mustremove your shoes uponentry.

More local treasures: The legend of Buckingham's 'Quaker Joe' Smith and news from the Durham Mill | LaVO

More: The forgotten story of Alice, who captained Dunk's Ferry with George Washington as passenger

Monks of Theravada, or "School of Elders," Buddhismbelieve the spirit is polluted by the trappings, temptations and fears of modern life.

During meditation, they visualize the spirit, or consciousness, as a glass orb filled with a luminescent light. This orb of consciousness rests in the center of the body, just above the navel.

Monks of the Wat Mongkoltepmunee (pronounced Mong-kol-tape-mu-nee) first began their work in Bensalem in 2008 where they constructed aglittering temple off Knights Road.

The seven-story temple is adorned with trimmings of red and gold imported from the Far East.

Climb the cascading stairs and you might come face to face with a 6-foot golden Buddha imported from Thailand. Inside, chandeliers splinter the sunlight.Outside, glimmering bronze deities dance atop pillars of evergreen.

The Mongkoltepmunee order has long held meditation classes for the general public. Novices are invited to meditation practices at 4 p.m. every Saturday.

Many in-person temple activities were cancelled because of COVID-19. Chanting for the sick and some meditations wereconducted on Zoom. Incantations such as Ratana Sutta became a protective chant and blessing used during the pandemic.

Bensalem'sfiveMongkoltepmunee monks rise and meditate from 5 to 7 a.m. every day before breakfast. They cannot eat after 2 p.m. and must fast until the following morning.

On a recent Monday, Maree Kirkpatrick, of Bensalem, was volunteering in the temple. The monks do not makerequests for specific meals, as they should avoid desire and temptation for any item.

Kirkpatrick prepared for the monks an aromatic dish of chili and garlic over rice, she said. "They do not request it, but I know what they like."

Contact reporter James McGinnis at jmcginnis@couriertimes.com

Link:

How to celebrate New Year's Eve with Buddhist monks at Mongkoltepmunee temple in Bensalem - Bucks County Courier Times

Ashley Tisdale opens up about her approach to mental health. (Photo: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers)

The Unwind is Yahoo Lifes well-being series in which experts, influencers and celebrities share their approaches to wellness and mental health, from self-care rituals to setting healthy boundaries to the mantras that keep them afloat.

"I believe wellness starts with self-love; you have to love yourself to take the steps to feel better," actress, singer and mental health advocate Ashley Tisdale tells Yahoo Life. "Everyone struggles with something and to me, Im always trying to tell people its good to be interested in yourself. You may find out things you may not like but youll find out a lot of things youll love. And youll learn how to manage the things you don't like!"

Working with a therapist is also important, but remains inaccessible to many. This winter, Tisdale is doing her part to remedy that problem by partnering with Amwell to launch "Mind Your Mind," a new mental health initiative designed to raise awareness and help people schedule their first virtual therapy session for only $10. (Use coupon code ASHLEY10 from December 2021 to February 2022 to get the discount).

Ahead, Tisdale opens up about speaking out about her own mental health, practicing meditation and learning to juggle self-care with a new baby at home.

Whats your approach to mental health?

My approach is meditation anything that helps me feel good and sets my day up really well.

Because you meditate, do you have a mantra?

I actually don't have a mantra; I totally relate to people who don't think they can't meditate. Its really just about trying and for me, specifically, I use apps for guided meditation to get into a deeper meditation. Im a huge fan of 5- or 10-minute guided meditations, or even 20 minutes which is rare these days with a new baby [laughs].

Tisdale's partnership with Mind Your Mind offers $10 therapy sessions. (Photo: Courtesy of Amwell/Mind Your Mind)

Congratulations on becoming a new mom. How are you taking care of yourself these days, and do you have any small self-care rituals that help you reset?

Story continues

Yes! All the rituals [laughs]!I ground myself by creating rituals that make me feel good every day; I share these mood-changing tips on my blog, Frenshe. Some of it is opening the windows and doors or lighting candles just letting the energy in the room change.

I think as a mom, its important to still take those moments. After the baby goes to sleep, Ill take a bath and put on my favorite show. You definitely have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others.

What brings you joy?

So many things! Once you become present, really small things bring you joy, versus the big things, so just sitting outside, being surrounded by trees, going for a walk, being with my baby, my dogs, my family all of that brings me joy.

What stresses you out?

I try not to get stressed but work can get stressful. Im in a moment where Im trying to figure out the balance of it all. This is so new, being a new mom. Even though Im working from home, finding the balance of work and still being with her and figuring out schedules... Ive never had to think about [another person's schedule], so sometimes I get stressed out managing it all, juggling it all.

Im sure you work around the clock too, which people dont tend to realize.

With brand deals and blogging, youre never not doing something [laughs].

Who do you look to for wellness inspiration?

I don't follow a lot of people; thats part of why I created Frenshe. A couple of years ago, I was facing my anxiety and depression and recorded an album based on my issues [Symptoms]. I felt like no one was talking about [depression] at the time, but Id lost someone to depression and I felt like it was super-important to start [the conversation]. People speak openly about anxiety, but theres a stigma around that word [depression]; I think they go hand in hand. ... Its been my mission to be open about my struggle and what helped me. Growing up in the public eye, I was always setting boundaries but I really do like to [speak up on] my mental health journey. Thats why I was excited to partner with Amwell to offer a $10 online therapy session. A lot of people say they can't afford therapy and its helped me a lot so I was SO excited when I was asked to do this, especially at this time; so many people are going through so many different things.

Whats the best advice youve ever been given?

Its not advice but Ive always loved it: "You should talk to yourself like you would your best friend." Its hard to learn; people who have mental health issues often have negative thoughts. Any time we feel we have failed, we tend to beat ourselves up, but if your best friend came to you, you wouldn't say negative things to them. Youd want to cheer them on and be positive. We should cheer ourselves on, too!

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter.

Go here to read the rest:

Ashley Tisdale on sharing her 'struggle' with anxiety and depression and practicing self-care as a new mom - Yahoo Life

Meditation helps you gain a new perspective on life. An individual discovers a lot of inner peace in this process (Representative Image: Shutterstock)

From managing stress to reducing negative emotions, meditation has a lot of benefits. Many people have embarked to make meditation a part of their life, but are still clueless about the best time to do it. Deepak Chopra has the answer to those queries.

Under Ask Deepak" option on his website, a user enquired about the right time for meditation. And, Deepak was of the opinion that it is best to meditate twice a day, once in the morning before work, and in the early evening after work and before dinner. According to the author, the rest which is gained from the meditation forms the foundation for the days activity.

Replying to the users statement of meditating past 8 pm, the author said that it will not reap the right amount of benefits. However, now that you know the value of earlier meditation, make an effort to establish a regular routine so it is not put off until bedtime, spiritual leader concluded.

Meditation helps you gain a new perspective on life. An individual discovers a lot of inner peace in this process. Here are some of the benefits of meditation-

Reduce stress

Whenever we are faced with a difficult situation, meditation helps us return to a more calm state of mind.

Promote productivity

It helps reduce stress. When we will work in a relaxed state of mind, our productivity will automatically get a boost.

Focused frame of mind

Those who are suffering from a short attention period can be helped to a great extent by meditation. It helps to focus the mind on present.

Improves relationships

Meditation let us discover inner peace. When we are at inner peace with ourselves we will be grateful to others and it will improve our relationships with them.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.

Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know a ...Read More

The rest is here:

Confused About the Timing of Mediation? Deepak Chopra is Here to Answer - News18

If you cannot feel it, you cannot heal it.

The core of any healing process is to first feel the emotion, the pain. Run away from the pain, and you delay the healing process.

Like all of us in this pandemic age, I am also on a quest to seek a fuller life. A time that is screaming change unlike any other time that we have experienced. I hear people say that we need to re-engineer our lives. We need to embrace the uncertainty, loss, grief, pain, and anxiety that come along with the change.

How do we do that? How do we carefully negotiate life avoiding the landmines littered across our path?

Shradha Sharma with Naveen Varshneya.

I chanced upon this book Meditation the Cure by Naveen Varshneya and was intrigued by his vision of empowering one healer in every household. It got me thinking that a way to fight the pandemic is to make healing ubiquitous. I had to meet him and find out how his methodology at NVlife, an organisation that he started, can help those of us seeking answers to leading a fuller life.

This book, according to Naveen, is the result of seven years of guiding thousands of people with chronic conditions to arrive at the state of meditation and reverse their suffering. With this vision to take the cure to every household, he studied why the same choices, events, and environment lead some people to attract distress, disorder, disease, misery, and misfortune while others do not.

Here are some excerpts from our conversation. You can watch the full conversation here.

Suffering has grown at a faster pace in the last few decades compared to the solutions which were traditionally available whether from science, spirituality, or psychiatry.

If you have to solve your life, then you have to go to the root cause. It's within you. You have to experience the cure because if you're suffering, then the solution to your suffering is a cure that you experience.

There's a difference between loss, grief, and pain. When we talk about grief and pain, these are two different things. Pain is transformative in nature.

Wherever you have landed up today is a result of the choices you made, and when you did not have a choice, it was also a choice made in some previous era. Your choices are made either in wisdom or in fear. There is nothing in between. And that leads you where you are today.

As long as humanity remains dependent on any external agency for health and wellbeing, we will never be able to eradicate suffering from the face of the planet.

In this book, I have established that a state of meditation is a state of cure.

People who say that meditation is not meant for me, I ask them, is suffering meant for you? Is anger meant for you? So why do you have a problem with the word meditation?

Breathing is inversely proportional to your thoughts. So if you focus and observe your breath, then your thoughts will begin to diminish.

Shall I ask you a question? What is the difference between a dream and a vision? Or between a dream and a fantasy? Dreaming is like thinking, it is free of cost. Anybody can dream anything. But you should be able to understand the difference between a dream and a vision. If it is a vision, it will always manifest. If it is coming from a position of lack, then it is just a dream.

Go here to read the rest:

[FullerLife with Shradha Sharma] Overcoming you: the only block to manifesting your dreams - YourStory

The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and celebration, but they can also be very stressful for many people. The holiday blues can stir up feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety, and the end of the year often brings reflection that can also surface these emotions.

Fortunately, many people say meditation helps them manage these feelings throughout the year. Though I've often heard people tout the benefits of meditation, I'd never tried it myself until now.I decided to finally give meditation a shot to see if it would give me more focus and clarity throughout the day, as so many people who meditate report feeling.

I'd heard good things about Headspace and Calm, which are two of the most popular meditation apps on the market, so I put both of them to the test. After two weeks, one spent using each app, I found that Calm was better by a long shot.

Here's how Headspace and Calm stacked up for me:

See original here:

I tried meditation apps Headspace and Calm. One was way better. - Business Insider

Hustle culture has us working harder and longerand its taking a toll on our health. But research shows that even short breaks during the day can spell big health benefits. So go ahead and give yourself a break (literally); Wellness Recess will provide you with the inspo you need to add more balance and funto your day. See More

If you haven't started a meditation practice, I'm willing to bet one of the reasons is because you don't think you'll be able to sit and be still for a long period of time. Trust me, I get it. Initially, I felt the same way. Ultimately, I was sold on adding it to my well-being routine when I learned you can increase the gray matter volume of your brain, which is associated with self-awareness, emotion, cognition, and aging.

According to Valerie Oula, director of vibrational energy healing at The Well and author of A Little Bit of Reiki: An Introduction to Energy Medicine, you can reap these brain benefits and other mindfulness benefits (like decreased stress, greater emotional regulation, and improved sleep) with a three-minute meditation.

"I really think it's important to start with a bite-size approach," says Oula. "In that three minutes, you actually allow your system to reset." By beginning with three minutes of mediation a day, she says, your body begins to learn that this is the time where you just sit. "But you're not not doing anything," says Oula. "You're just sitting and you're being mindful. And it's that mindfulness that really begins to open up some space for awareness."

You can also draw your energy back in and come back into your body in this three-minute period, says Oula. "I think when we allow ourselves that three minutes to just sit, to get still and just notice without judgment, and just notice sensations in our body, notice our breath, it gets you out of this nonstop, looping 'Oh my God, stress, overwhelm,' all of the things."

Related Stories

{{ truncate(post.title, 12) }}

All the emotions and sensations you may be feeling won't magically disappear, but meditation does allow your mindset to shift. And as you become more consistent with three minutes of meditation, Oula says that you might find yourself naturally sitting for longer.

If you're feeling more confident about beginning to meditate, you may be wondering exactly how to do it. "One of the ways that I love to share is for people who are super new and just beginning is to actually count," says Oula.

Start by sitting comfortably in an upright position. ("Your physiology contributes to how you feel," she explains.) You'll also want to sit in a way where you can tune into your core and have your feet grounded, which can be done on a chair or seated on a cushion.

From here, close your eyes and do a simple breath count. For example, say "one" in your head, followed by a slow inhale and a slow exhale (you can also say this in your head to help you control your breathing). And then continue at that pace until your meditation is complete. "The key is to really emphasize the slow breath," explains Oula.

In addition to taking the time to slow down and be present, you're also allowing your body and brain to integrate and process the information you're constantly taking in, says Oula. You're also strengthening your parasympathetic nervous system, one of three divisions of your autonomic nervous system that regulates involuntary physiological processes, which is often referred to as "rest and digest."

Oula says the goal is to spend more time strengthening the restful parasympathetic nervous system and calming the sympathetic nervous systemaka fight-or-flightwhich is responsible for making us feel a heightened state of alertness. "We want to cultivate the resilience of our nervous system [by] moving between sympathetic and parasympathetic."

Meditation helps us to achieve balance because it "gives you the space to step back, versus being fully in the thing and being triggered by whatever you're being triggered by," she explains. It also allows us to strengthen areas in our brain that help us pay attention in different ways and to open up more awareness, in addition to giving our brain the space to clean itself out with synaptic pruning, the removal of connections in the brain that are no longer needed.

At the end of the day, your practice isyours, and you've got to do what is going to help you feel the calmest and present. And one of the best ways to do so, in Oula's opinion, is to begin with an easy three-minute reset. And don't forget, she says: "A little bit is better than nothing at all."

Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.

See the rest here:

Im a Meditation Teacher, and 3 Minutes Is the Perfect Amount of Time To Reap the Benefits of Meditation - Well+Good

Long-term stress: Meditation lowers cortisol concentrations

Meditation (from the Latin word meaning to think, to think) includes various methods, often very ancient and religiously based. Meanwhile, several scientific studies have shown that meditation can have positive effects on health. A new study now shows that meditation training reduces stress in the long run.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Neurosciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig and the Max Planck Societys Social Neurosciences Research Group in Berlin found that mental training that enhances skills such as alertness, gratitude or empathy enhances focus and reduces the stress hormone. Cortisol in the hair. The amount of cortisol in the hair indicates how strong a person is by maintaining it Stress laden.

like him in Message From the institute, according to a study by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), 23 percent of people in Germany often experience stress.

Not only does this condition affect peoples well-being, but it is also linked to a number of physiological diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental disorders such as depression, which is one of the major causes of disease burden in the world.

Therefore, effective methods are being sought that will reduce daily stress in the long run. This is a promising option Mindfulness trainingWhere participants train their cognitive and social skills, including attention, gratitude, and compassion, through meditation and various behavioral exercises.

Various studies have already shown that even healthy people feel less stressed after a typical eight-week exercise program. However, it is not yet clear to what extent the training actually contributed to reducing the ongoing exposure to daily stress.

The problem with many previous studies on chronic stress: study participants usually have to assess their own stress level after training. However, this self-assessment using questionnaires can distort the effects and make the results appear more positive than they actually were.

See also UNESCO sounds the alarm: Research must grow worldwide - Wikipedia

The reason for this bias: the test subjects knew they were training mindfulness, and lower stress levels was the desired effect of this training. This awareness alone has an effect on the information presented later.

If you are asked if you are nervous after training that has been advertised as reducing stress, even dealing with that question can distort the statements, explains Lara Pullman, an MPI CBS doctoral student and first author of the primary publication. It was recently published in the specialized magazine psychosomatic medicineHe was released.

Factors such as social desirability and placebo effects played a role here. Unlike pharmacological studies, for example, in which study participants do not know whether or not they have actually received the active ingredient, so-called blind checks are not possible during mental training.

Participants know they are taking the antidote, Polman says. In mindfulness research, we are increasingly using more objective methods, that is, physiological methods, in order to be able to more accurately measure the stress-reducing effect.

According to experts, the concentration of cortisol in the hair is a suitable measurement variable for exposure to constant stress. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when, for example, you are faced with a formidable challenge. In each case, the stress hormone helps put the body on alert and mobilize the energy to meet the challenge.

And the longer the stress is, the longer the increased concentration of cortisol circulates in the body and the more it builds up in hair, which grows an inch a month. In order to measure the participants stress level during the nine-month training, the researchers, in collaboration with Clemens Kirschbaums working group at the University of Dresden, analyzed the amount of cortisol every three months in the first three centimeters of the hair, starting on the scalp.

See also Mystery about early medieval grave pits - Wissenschaft.de

The mental training program consisted of three modules of three months each, each of which was aimed at training a specific skill area with the help of western and eastern mental exercises. The focus was either on factors of attention and alertness, on social and emotional skills such as empathy and gratitude, or on the so-called social-cognitive skills, in particular the ability to take a perspective on ones thoughts and those of others. .

Three groups of about 80 subjects each completed the training modules in a different order. The training was carried out for up to nine months, 30 minutes a day, six days a week.

In fact, it was found that the amount of cortisol in the participants hair had significantly decreased after six months of training, an average of 25%. According to the information, initially slight effects were observed in the first three months, and intensified in the following three months. In the last third, the concentration remained at a rather low level.

Therefore, researchers hypothesize that only long enough training leads to the desired stress-reducing effects. The effect does not appear to depend on the training content. It is therefore possible that many of the mental approaches examined may be similarly effective in improving dealing with chronic daily stress.

In a previous study, researchers examined the effects of training on dealing with acute stressful situations. Participants were put through a stressful job interview and asked to solve challenging math tasks under observation.

Shown here: Those who completed social-cognitive or socio-emotional training emit up to 51 percent less cortisol than those who did not. In this case, not the amount of cortisol in the hair was measured, but acute cortisol attacks in saliva.

See also Why you can get lung cancer as a non-smoker

Overall, the scientists concluded that training can improve handling of particularly acute and stressful social situations and chronic daily stresses.

We hypothesize that different aspects of training are particularly beneficial for these different forms of stress, says Veronica Engert, Head of the Research Group Social Stress and Family Health at MPI CBS.

There are many diseases around the world, including depression, that are directly or indirectly related to long-term stress, Polman says. We have to work to prevent the effects of chronic stress. Our study uses physiological measurements to show that meditation-based training interventions can also reduce general stress levels in healthy people. (Ad)

This text complies with the requirements of the specialized medical literature, clinical guidelines and current studies and has been examined by medical professionals.

Resources:

important note: This article is for general guidance only and is not intended to be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. It cannot replace a visit to the doctor.

View post:

Proven to reduce stress through meditation - a healing practice - The Weston Forum

Meditation is a practice in which an individual focuses his mind on a particular thought, object, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and calm emotional and stable state.

Meditation lowers the heart rate, lowers stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety and depression, reduces pain and improves self-awareness and controlling attention. Meditation is good for your body and your brain and is included in practices like diet and exercise to have overall excellent health based on lifestyle. Long-term benefits include more happiness and peace of mind, greater enjoyment of the present moment and less emotional reactivity with fewer negative emotional and mood swings.

Meditation is easier than you think. A quick taste of meditation can be done by these simple steps:

1) Find a quiet place and sit comfortably with your back relatively straight.

2) Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes and relax your body.

3) Choose a word or phrase that has special personal meaning to you.

4) Begin to breathe through your nose and repeat the word or phrase quietly to yourself. An alternative is simply rest your attention on your breath as it comes in and out.

5) Keep the meditation going for five or 10 minutes and then slowly get up and return to your daily routine.

The good part about meditation is the basic practice is quite simple and you dont have to be an expert to receive the benefits.

Meditation practices have spiritual roots, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hindu and Buddhism. Spiritual meditation practices help obtain higher states of consciousness and ultimately achieve the pinnacle of their particular spiritual paths. Christian meditation is a form of prayer to get in touch with and reflect upon the revelations of God. Christian meditation aims to aid in the personal relationship based on the love of God. The gentle repetition of prayers is a way to move to deeper meditation and open ourselves to Gods word and the Life of Christ.

An excellent aid in meditation is by using an app. I use the app called CALM on my phone and find it helpful. This app encourages you to use a daily calm, which usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes. It welcomes you and encourages you to sit, close you eyes and relax your body and breathe according to instructions. Concentrate on your breaths in and out and keep your attention on this and nothing else. Music or a pleasant sound of nature is used to enhance your focus and attention. It encourages you to focus on how you feel and continue to relax and be peaceful. You are encouraged to have positive thoughts and emotions.

Designing you own practice of meditation is an individual choice and can include many different paths uniquely suited to your needs. You may want to experiment with different forms of meditation and trust your intuition to tell you which ones are best suited for you. Meditation may be done by yourself, with a group or class, or with the internet or app. Motivation, discipline and commitment will help make it a part of daily life. The more you meditate, the more you will receive the benefits, and the more you will want to continue this practice.

Meditation has been labeled advanced technology for the mind and heart. More great reasons to meditate:

1) Awakening the present moment.

2) Making friends with yourself.

3) Connecting deeper with others.

6) Increase gratitude and love.

7) Deeper sense of purpose.

8) Experiencing focus and flow.

9) Feeling more centered and balanced.

10) Enhancing your performance at work and play.

I am trying to make meditation a regular part of my lifestyle like proper diet, exercise, rest, learning and socialization. I believe this practice will make you a healthier and happier person.

Dr. Eichelberger is retired from Greenwood Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Montgomery Family Practice Residency Program. He is is a physician volunteer with Hospice and Palliative Care of the Piedmont. Send comments to: The Doctors Prescription, P.O. Box 36, Ninety Six, SC 29666.

The rest is here:

Guest column: What is meditation and is it good for your health? - Index-Journal

Mental health is critical. It impacts how we feel, assume and act each day. Our mental fitness also influences decision-making, hassle solving, addressing strain, and connecting to others in our lives. This is why we should usually take care of our mental health. Our mental fitness performs a crucial role each day, encouraging productivity in activities. If you adapt effortlessly to new areas, it means that your mind and heart are wholesome.

Have you ever felt depressed or unhappy? Im certain you all have.

Let me tell you something. It is okay to sense sadness, feeling low, or anger. However, do not permit such feelings to paralyse your capability to grow and live.

This is where the daily practice of meditation can work wonders on your overall well-being. There are numerous meditation practices; however, the foremost force is an experience of relaxation and our internal peace, which may enhance your mental health.

Here are a few things that daily meditation will help you achieve:

Effective communication: Bottling up your emotions can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. However, if you express whats going on in your mind through verbal or written communication, it will automatically lead to your mental peace. Meditation clears up the mind, thus giving us the ability to communicate clearly.

Stay positive: Thanks to meditation, we can look at those things that are the most important. Because it quietens the mind, our focus on life and important matters shifts. It helps us realise that instead of getting stuck in the past and constantly feeling remorse for our mistakes, we can learn from them as they are a part of our lives and teach us a lot.

Practice kindness: It is only when you show kindness towards one another that you will truly blossom. Meditation relaxes the mind, and this wakes us up to the ability to be kind. You will feel a sense of calm in helping others or just by bringing a smile to their face.

(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)

The rest is here:

Guiding Light: The link between meditation and mental health - Free Press Journal