| Is Stress Avoidable? | | | | There is an amusing saying among those who |
| Life can get complicated! Even when we do our | | | | meditate with Yoga that says "Don't just do |
| best to simplify our schedules, plans, and | | | | something—Sit There!" The humor relates to |
| appointments the stress of everyday existence | | | | the most common meditation position is the lotus |
| manages to creep in and make our muscles | | | | or half lotus. The key purpose for sitting (and |
| tighten up, our throats go dry, and our minds | | | | not lying down, for example) is to keep the body |
| buzz like so many cross wires. | | | | alert and prepared, while the mind dives deep into |
| Stress slows us down both physically and mentally | | | | an expanse of infinite silence. The proper seated |
| and is a major contributor to heart disease and | | | | position is perhaps the essence of meditation - |
| many other illnesses. The American Psychological | | | | complete presence, here and now, while calmly |
| Association reports that roughly 43% of adults | | | | looking inward, without holding on, being involved |
| suffer from stress. The American Medical | | | | or actively doing. |
| Association says that stress is a factor in more | | | | The traditional approach to meditation advocates |
| than 75% of sickness today and according to the | | | | complete stillness of the body as the way to calm |
| World Health Organization, stress is one of the | | | | the mind, but we now know that slight |
| leading health problems in advanced cultures. | | | | movement actually helps you breath more fully, |
| Stress comes in many distinctive varieties: | | | | relax tired muscles and take the load off your |
| physical stress from intense exertion, lack of | | | | intervertal discs, and so can help the body relax |
| sleep and travel; chemical stress from too many | | | | and with it your mind. Gentle rhythmic |
| foreign drugs and chemicals in our bodies; mental | | | | movement seems inherent in our body's makeup |
| stress from worry, anxiety, long hours of work | | | | and usually comes naturally when given the |
| and our desire to be better; emotional stress | | | | opportunity. |
| from anger, guilt, sadness and fear; traumatic | | | | One such device that enhances Yoga and proper |
| stress from major injuries, illnesses and infections; | | | | meditation is a nearly flat seat with rocking panels |
| and spiritual stress that comes from troubled | | | | that still allows one to sit on the floor in the Lotus |
| relationships. | | | | position but brings the rhythmic rocking |
| It almost seems as if stress is unavoidable. | | | | movement to their meditation. One example of |
| Unless we seclude ourselves from any | | | | a device that enhances meditation is called the |
| interactivity with society, sooner or later, we will | | | | FreeChair. (freechair.net) This is a seat that brings |
| come under the stresses that millions of others | | | | a gentle movement to seated meditation by |
| are dealing with every day. | | | | creating a middle ground between dynamic |
| A Cure with No Pill or Treatment | | | | meditation and sitting meditation. |
| Millions of stressed out people have turned to | | | | For people new to meditation this type of device |
| Yoga and Meditation practices to relax, reduce | | | | makes it easier to get used to sitting quietly and |
| stress, ease anxiety and find inner peace. | | | | allows people to move between various dynamic |
| Popular author Deepak Chopra revealed actual | | | | and static situations while meditating. Typical |
| testing that shows that levels of cortisol and | | | | meditation practices use no support or possibly a |
| adrenaline are more often found to be lower in | | | | pillow which leaves little room for comfort |
| long-term mediators. | | | | adjustment. Since comfort is foremost to a |
| Meditation goes precisely to the source of anxiety | | | | relaxing meditation state it makes sense to sit on |
| by releasing the existing stresses that continue to | | | | something that allows the person to makes light |
| trigger new tension. It's a solution that is | | | | adjustments in the way the pelvis is tilted while |
| centuries old with proven results. Meditation can | | | | sitting and thus realigning the spine. This is |
| help you break old habits, allow you to enjoy your | | | | especially important for people with back or neck |
| friends and family more and best of all love | | | | soreness. |
| yourself more. | | | | "A good sitting position in yoga and meditation is |
| Although it had been previously thought that it | | | | reflected in stability and comfort," says Madi |
| took years of practice to achieve a deep | | | | Meshorer, Certified yoga teacher. "Based on my |
| meditational state Chopra reports that meditation, | | | | experience and that of my students the |
| for even new participants, can result in significant | | | | FreeChair (freechair.net) helps provide a stable |
| positive changes in breathing, heartbeat and | | | | meditative position and there are no feelings of |
| lowered blood pressure. Meditation can often | | | | pins & needles in their legs after long |
| result in a stronger immune system and an | | | | meditations." |
| increase in energy, focus and creativity. | | | | To those who have practiced meditation for |
| Maximizing Your Meditation | | | | years, it is no surprise that more and more |
| Yoga has been at the core of proper meditation | | | | people are using it as a method for reducing |
| techniques for thousands of years. It seems | | | | stress and finding happiness and peace in their |
| only recently has it received such notoriety as a | | | | lives. What has been a surprise is that a technique |
| trendy cure for stressed out individuals when | | | | used for thousands of years can still be improved |
| actually it has been the method of peace and | | | | with the proper support and positioning. |
| happiness for cultures around the world for | | | | Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? |
| centuries. | | | | |