Meditation Made Easy
Provided by
American Council on Exercise
Humans share
the common experience of being barraged with
fluctuating thoughts, feelings and emotions throughout the day. While our
capacity to think and feel can be a source of inspiration for our work and
passions, this constant flux of thoughts can be distracting and make it
difficult to remain in the now. One particularly effective solution for taming
the mind is meditation.
What
is Meditation?
Meditation is simply a practice of tuning in. It’s
choosing to tune in even when a myriad of thoughts might interfere with the
meditation. Once you begin to tune in, you can become more aware of your
thought patterns. When you recognize these patterns, you can begin to release
them, eventually moving into a meditative state where you are keenly aware
without being attached or overwhelmed by any one thought.
Benefits
of Meditation
Talk to anyone with a regular meditation practice and they will likely share
how the practice has improved several aspects of their life. Meditators often
report having an overall improved sense of well-being, lower levels of stress
and an increased ability to practice mindfulness—the ability to stay in the
present moment.
In 1968,
cardiologist and Harvard mind-body medicine professor, Dr. Herbert Benson,
tested the effects of Transcendental Meditation, a specific form of silent
mantra meditation. Benson and his colleagues wanted to see if meditation could
counter the physiological effects of stress. They observed that during
meditation:
• Heartbeat and breathing rates slow down.
• Oxygen consumption falls by 20%.
• Blood lactate levels drop (blood lactate levels typically rise
with stress and fatigue).
• EEG ratings of brain-wave patterns shift from beta—or an
awakened state—to alpha, a more relaxed state.
Benson described these observations collectively as the relaxation response. In 1997, nearly 30 years after publishing his initial research, Dr.
Benson found that any meditation practice could produce these physiological
changes as long as the following four conditions were present: (1) the
environment was relatively quiet; (2) the meditator maintained a passive
attitude; (3) the meditator sat in a comfortable position; and (4) a mental
device was used as a point of focus (e.g., reciting a mantra or prayer, or
visualizing a favorite color) (Benson, 2000). Additional research has
shown meditation to reduce blood pressure, boost immune function, improve sleep quality, and decrease anxiety and depression.
(National Center for Complimentary and Integrative, 2018). These benefits are thought to be the result of increased parasympathetic
nervous system (PNS) activity, the branch of the autonomic nervous system
responsible for the body’s activities when at rest.
Getting
Started
As with any healthy practice you are trying to incorporate into your life, the
best way to begin a meditation practice is to begin. To get started, you simply
need to adopt a few habits:
1. Commit to a regular practice. Even a few minutes a day will be
beneficial. Set a timer so that you don’t have to
watch the clock. You can add a few minutes to your practice each week. The more
you meditate, the easier it will be to sit in your awareness for longer periods of time. If possible, practice at the same time
every day. If that’s not possible, practice when you
can.
2. Find a place in your home (or even your office) where
distractions will be minimal. Eventually, you will be able to meditate
anywhere, but having a sacred and protected space will make it easier in the
beginning.
3. Breathe. Relaxed breathing can serve as a bridge between your
active day and your meditation practice. Feel free to incorporate any breathing
technique that helps you to feel calm and relaxed.
4. Maintain a passive attitude during the process. Release any
concerns about whether or not you are doing it correctly or accomplishing
anything.
To begin
enjoying the many benefits of meditation, try this simple mantra meditation
exercise:
• Set a timer. Start with 5-10 minutes and gradually increase your
meditation time.
• Sit upright in a comfortable position. You can sit in a chair
with your knees comfortably apart or on the floor in a crossed-leg position. It
may be helpful to prop a pillow or blanket under the hips for comfort.
• Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Notice
any restrictions in your breathing. After a few moments of simply being aware
of the breath, try the following centering breathing technique. Take a long,
slow inhale through the nose. As you begin to exhale, slow down so that the
exhale is gentle and of equal or longer length as the previous inhale. Next,
take several breaths in and out of your nose as you naturally would. Finally,
repeat the long, slow inhale and exhale. Repeat this cycle as many times as you
need to until you feel relaxed.
• Choose a mantra, word or sound that pleases you. It can be
anything—a word such as peace or calm, your name—anything you like. Say this
mantra quietly (but out aloud) five times. Continue repeating the mantra
silently until the timer chimes.
• Let your mantra find its own rhythm as you repeat it over and over. If and when your
thoughts wonder to something else, allow yourself to be aware of the
distraction and then bring your attention back to your mantra.
If you are
new to meditation, the practice can feel unfamiliar and even a bit awkward the
first few times you try it. Be patient with yourself and stay
the course; you will be glad you did.
References
Benson, H. (2000). The Relaxation Response. New York, N.Y.: William
Morrow.
National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (2018). Meditation in
Depth.
AUTHOR
Jennifer Turpin Stanfield
Jennifer
Turpin Stanfield, M.A., ACSM EP-C, is a professor in the Department of Health
and Human Performance at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She is
an ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor, registered yoga teacher and a
national presenter for NETA. Jennifer has more than 17 years of experience in
the health and fitness industry and is passionate about helping others live
healthier lives through the adoption and maintenance of positive health
behaviors.