| Meditation: an altered, yet natural, state | | | | practice of meditation for just 10-20 minutes a |
| What is an altered state? Simply put, it's a state | | | | day significantly reduces the symptoms of stress. |
| that's different to your usual state of waking | | | | If you feel you are running too hot, it's because |
| consciousness, and different from your sleeping | | | | you are immersed in the red alert energy of your |
| state too. It's like a state between the tow | | | | sympathetic nervous system. By learning some |
| worlds of wakefulness and sleep, you're very | | | | simple meditation exercises you can douse the |
| relaxed, but you're awake, you can be very | | | | fire of self-destruction and get cool, calm and |
| focused, yet you're very relaxed. | | | | collected in minutes. |
| Meditation produces highly beneficial alpha | | | | Chinese Medicine considers the sympathetic |
| brain-waves that result from deep relaxation. One | | | | nervous system to be yang and it's balancing |
| of the many benefits of meditation is that it's | | | | counterpart - the parasympathetic nervous - |
| positive effect on the nervous and immune | | | | system to be it's yin. |
| systems of your body can stay with you for | | | | The parasympathetic nervous system serves to |
| hours, unlike recreational relaxants where the | | | | return the body and mind to a calmly functional |
| body swings back into a stress aroused state as | | | | state where no danger is perceived. It is a |
| soon as their influence has worn off, the rewards | | | | stand-down state, an "all clear" signal to your |
| of meditation are both long lasting and | | | | body and mind that they can relax and get on |
| accumulative. The more you meditate the better | | | | with what they want to be doing. Meditation |
| you get at it and the better you feel. | | | | triggers the parasympathetic nervous system and |
| Meditation: the ultimate antidote to stress | | | | gives you a welcome break from the adrenaline |
| Stress is considered a contributing factor in up to | | | | fuelled states that can be so destructive to your |
| 80% of all illness. At best it makes you irritable, | | | | body. |
| unpopular and unproductive, at it's worst it makes | | | | Meditation: an act of self-kindness |
| you miserable and sick. | | | | When you go on an aeroplane, the flight |
| Meditation helps soothe stress by allowing the | | | | attendants tell you that in the event of an |
| sympathetic nervous system to stand down. The | | | | emergency you should put your own oxygen |
| sympathetic nervous system is what fires the | | | | mask on before trying to assist anyone else. |
| "fight or flight" response, but it's only designed for | | | | Why? Because you're no good to yourself or |
| short-term use and if triggered to frequently or | | | | others if you're gasping for air. |
| held on-line for too long you begin to loose vital | | | | Here on the ground, things might be less dramatic, |
| energy and immunity. Your relationships suffer, | | | | but the principle still applies. If you are riddled with |
| your work suffers and your health suffers. In | | | | stress, then you are, (to a degree directly related |
| short, stress equals suffering, but meditation can | | | | to the amount of your stress) useless. |
| quickly act as a powerful and enjoyable anti-dote | | | | If you want to care for yourself and your friends |
| and gain you entry into the pleasurable realm of | | | | and family better there are few gifts you could |
| the relaxation response. | | | | give yourself that are as valuable as the |
| Research has repeatedly shown that regular | | | | experience of meditation. |