| There are numerous studies on how meditation | | | | they eat more when they feel stressed or they |
| helps to lessen stress and improve overall | | | | take some kind of mood altering substance in an |
| well-being. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of the | | | | effort to feel calmer. Instead of self-medication, |
| Stress Reduction Program at the University of | | | | why not try self-meditation? For those of you |
| Massachusetts Medical School, was a pioneer in | | | | who are meditation phobic because you get too |
| recognizing that mindfulness meditation could be | | | | antsy or you don't know if you are doing it right, |
| helpful for adult patients suffering from chronic | | | | just remember to keep it simple in the beginning. |
| pain. He developed a secular version of the | | | | You don't need to hire a trainer; you don't have |
| Buddhist practice, which he called | | | | to pay loads of money to get a mantra. You |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). | | | | don't have to sit in the lotus position (unless you |
| There are currently over a thousand studies | | | | prefer it) and you don't have to learn a |
| published in peer review journals. Kabat-Zinn's | | | | complicated breathing technique. |
| MBSR program has been found to reduce not | | | | Here are some simple tips to help you get |
| only chronic pain but also high blood pressure and | | | | started: |
| cholesterol levels, alleviate depression, anxiety, | | | | 1. Get up 15 minutes earlier than normal and |
| post-traumatic stress, eating disorders and | | | | meditate before you do anything else such as |
| substance abuse. | | | | breakfast. It is too easy to get caught up with all |
| The executive functioning part of the brain is the | | | | the responsibilities and tasks of the day. |
| most vulnerable in people who have ADHD. The | | | | 2. Get out of bed, and go to a place where you |
| circuits here have faulty firing of synapses which | | | | can sit with your back straight. Don't lie down |
| make it very effortful in attending to tedious | | | | because it is easy to fall back to sleep. You want |
| low-level stimuli, like cleaning and tidying one's | | | | to stay alert and be in a state of mindfulness. |
| room or work area, finishing homework, projects | | | | Some people like to light a candle, burn some |
| or books, staying organized, waiting and delaying | | | | fragrant incense, or have some freshly cut |
| gratification, or balancing a checkbook. Most | | | | flowers nearby. |
| people who do not understand ADHD think the | | | | 3. Make sure there is nothing and no one there to |
| person is simply stupid, lazy, or unmotivated. | | | | disturb or interrupt you. (Put your pet in another |
| Fortunately, research has indicated that there are | | | | room, turn off the mobile and unplug the phone). |
| opportunities to rewire the brain circuits in people | | | | The environment must be quiet, unless there are |
| who have ADD/ADHD. | | | | natural sounds like birds singing in the garden or |
| A study of mindfulness meditation as a treatment | | | | the gentle sound of running water from a |
| for adults and adolescents with ADHD was | | | | fountain. |
| published in the Journal of Attention Disorders | | | | 4. Start by breathing naturally and focus on your |
| (Zylowka, et al. 2008, 11, 737-746). One of the | | | | 'in' and your 'out' breath. You are not controlling |
| benefits of practicing meditation is to help make | | | | your inhalation and exhalation; you are simply |
| those specific difficult tasks mentioned above | | | | paying attention, becoming more aware of your |
| become better incorporated into one's daily living. | | | | body, and listening to your breathing. |
| Mindfulness is defined as the "moment to moment | | | | 5. You will notice some tension in your body, |
| awareness of our present experience, without | | | | perhaps in your hands, shoulders or back. Relax |
| judgment". | | | | them, let the muscles become loose, and notice |
| The authors in this article stated that "Mindfulness | | | | the difference you feel. |
| meditation involves experiential learning via silent | | | | 6. When your mind wanders, which it will, bring it |
| periods of sitting meditation or slow walking and | | | | back by focusing on your breathing. As thoughts |
| purposeful attention to daily activities. Relaxation, | | | | and feelings arise, simply acknowledge them and |
| although often induced during the training, is not | | | | then let them go as if they were big white fluffy |
| the sole goal of the activity; rather, the main | | | | clouds just floating away in the sky. |
| activity is a cognitive and intention-based process | | | | 7. Choose one or two beautiful or significant |
| characterized by self-regulation and attention to | | | | words that you feel are uplifting and want to |
| the present moment with an open and accepting | | | | achieve such as calm or peaceful. Say them to |
| orientation towards one's experiences." | | | | yourself as you breathe in and out. When your |
| Meditation helps to modify attentional networks, | | | | mind wanders, you can return to your center by |
| alter dopamine levels, change neural activity, and | | | | breathing and repeating your word(s). |
| modulate EEG patterns. This can be enhanced by | | | | People have been using Angel cards around the |
| using meditation recordings that include | | | | word since the 1970's to accompany meditation. |
| Entrainment (a synchronization of two or more | | | | They were developed Joy Drake and Kathy Tyler |
| rhythmic cycles) and Binaural Beats that help the | | | | and are basically a box of 72 illustrated playful |
| person meditating go from an alpha state to beta | | | | cards that represent essences of wisdom. You |
| state. | | | | can order the small box from the Findhorn |
| Meditation invites one into the present moment, | | | | Foundation in Scotland and receive it in just a few |
| by slowing thoughts down and sweeping away | | | | days. Every morning you can pick a card at |
| those ideas that are buzzing around in a busy | | | | random and use it in your meditative practice. |
| incoherent brain which prohibits the person from | | | | Today the card I picked was "Respect" which |
| relaxing. The ADHD mind is likened to a screen | | | | was the focus of my meditation as well as a |
| which is rapidly flipping from one channel to | | | | guide to use throughout the day to respect |
| another. | | | | myself, others, animals, and the planet. |
| Meditation does not have to be complex, | | | | If you decide in the future to explore meditation |
| religiously oriented, boring, or expensive. There is | | | | further, you can take a course in mindfulness, or |
| a myth surrounding the practice of meditation | | | | a course in The Art of Living, or go to Plum |
| that it is attached to eastern religion. Although it is | | | | Village in France and spend a weekend with Thich |
| true that Buddhist practice incorporates some | | | | Naht Hahn, who wrote these two books among |
| form of meditation, the intention is to be at | | | | many others:"The Miracle of Mindfulness: A Manual |
| greater peace with oneself. Meditation can be | | | | on Meditation" and "Present Moment, Wonderful |
| thought of in the same way as other disciplines | | | | Moment". Another great book on mindfulness is: A |
| that might improve one's overall physical, mental | | | | New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by |
| or psychological well-being. Like other forms of | | | | Eckhart Tolle. |
| exercise, strenuous or not, each one must find a | | | | If you don't feel that mediation is beneficial at |
| method of using the discipline so that they see | | | | first, don't give up. Give yourself several days to |
| improvement in their being. | | | | adjust to your new practice. Like anything |
| Living with a depressed adolescent or a child with | | | | worthwhile, you need to do it every day as part |
| a disability is very stressful and meditation gives | | | | of your morning ritual and this requires dedication |
| you a chance to let go of stress and give | | | | and discipline. Eventually it will most likely be |
| yourself a lovely self-indulgent gift in letting your | | | | something you relish doing. You can also listen to |
| mind flow into a peaceful space. You probably | | | | some free mediation tapes to help you get |
| have little time to spend alone and enjoy a few | | | | started: |
| quiet moments to get in touch with your inner | | | | Meditation can also help with healing depression. |
| being. You may just be too busy attending to the | | | | For a more in-depth description of how it helped a |
| needs of others. If you are willing to get up 15 | | | | parent whose child suffered from depression, click |
| minutes earlier, and take this time to focus and | | | | on the website address below to read more as |
| quiet your mind, you may find it is one of your | | | | she co-authored an Ebook with me entitled |
| favourite things to do and may look forward to it | | | | Understanding Depression in Children and |
| each day. | | | | Adolescents: Essential Steps to Helping Your Child. |
| There is no way to avoid stress in one's daily life, | | | | © 2009 Dr. Angel Adams and Dr. Patricia |
| but there is the possibility of addressing the | | | | Papciak. |
| stress with a healthy plan. People often say that | | | | |