You can use mindfulness to cultivate a calm body, open heart, and steady mind. As you age and are exposed to increasing toxic burdens, cultivating a calm body becomes increasingly relevant to health and wellbeing.
Meditation for Healing
It is estimated that 90% of illness is stress related illness. Your body, heart, and brain were designed to respond to potential threats and then return to homeostasis. In today’s world, you encounter so many stressors on a regular basis that it becomes more vital to engage in self-care practices that calm the body.
One of the rewards of mindfulness meditation practice is a calm body. When the body is in a relaxed state, this is the optimal state in which healing can occur—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Working with meditations that encourage relaxation, such as the Body Scan meditation, can support a calm body.
You can also practice pranayama, or breath control practices that encourage a relaxed body, such as 3 part-breath. Breathe in to the lower 1/3 of the lungs and feel the diaphragm expand, breathe into the middle portion of the lungs, and then breathe in to the upper 1/3 of the lungs. Slowly exhale and repeat.
Practicing meditation for healing can help you to prevent illness, and if you’re already dealing with illness, it can help to reduce stress and place the body in an optimal state in which healing can occur.
You can also engage in mindful movement of the body that encourages relaxation, such as yoga, walking, dancing, or other movement practices.
Choose one or two practices to incorporate into your regular mindfulness practice. Notice any shifts in your body, heart, and mind that result. Enjoy the rewards of your practice!
Ready for an intensive study and practice experience? My 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MBSR online course is available as a self-guided course or with coaching support.
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