Meditation is often associated with and mistaken as people sitting cross-legged and eyes closed contemplating over problems, situations, events of the past, or the anxiety and expectations of the future. However, it is, in fact, a specific technique for resting the mind and attaining a state of mindfulness, a continuous practice of which will teach people how to pay attention to and understand the innermost levels of themselves- the body, the breath, and the mind; and transcend beyond the processes of thinking, analysing, or experiencing various ranges of emotions.
Meditation is an extremely crucial practice especially because our minds are notorious for their perpetually distracted state. Humans are constantly being devoured in their thoughts and emotions- be it an indecisive dinner plan, a worry over an unpaid bill, a sick parent, or an unanswered email, all of which will result in an accumulation of confusion, stress, anxiety, and more.
Importance of Meditation Today
In the modern days, most of the diseases are classified to a certain extent as psychosomatic, meaning they are either caused by an internal conflict, stress, and emotions, or otherwise aggravated by them. The use of conventional medicine in such cases fails to target the underlying root of the disease and has been observed as significantly ineffective. However, this is where meditation comes into play for it holds an extraordinary ability to help relax muscle tension, relieve mental stress, and tranquilise the minds. The concept of meditation ultimately focuses on letting go of the many mental distractions in the minds, and allow them to focus on one subtle object. This will hinder the minds from wandering off over to ranges of stressful emotions and thoughts. The stress-free and tranquilised mind will, in turn, boost the efficacy of immune system and free it from reaction to stress and strain, as well as allow the bodies to ease off on emergency defenses and enable them to focus on repair and growth.
Fortunately, meditation has been gaining its popularity not only amongst the Holistic practitioners, but amongst the scientists as well. Countless of experiments and research have been conducted in an effort to explain the benefits of meditation and convince all people to involve themselves in such a miraculous remedy from mental distresses. For instance, Jo Marchant, an award winning scientific author, dedicated a whole chapter of her New York Times Best Seller book “Cure: A Journey Into The Science of Mind Over Body” to present evidence the potential remedy of meditation. “The healing power of the brain could offer a powerful complement to modern medicine. There have been hundreds of studies on mindfulness now, and there’s very good evidence that it reduces stress and anxiety, and that it reduces symptoms such as chronic pain and fatigue. So that’s very well shown now in the analysis of lots of different studies, and that’s in healthy people but also in people with depression or people with serious illness,” Jo explained.
Benefits
To name some of the worldly acclaimed benefits of meditation, it has been proven to:
- Lessen stress, worry, anxiety, and impulsivity
- Increase mental strength and focus
- Help prevent Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, etc.
- Improve immune system and energy levels
- Lessen inflammatory disorders
- Improve breathing and heart rates
- Lower blood pressure
Given this, the intertwining of the human’s mind and body and how each can have a profound effect over the other is undeniable. The patient’s psychological state, for instance, has a significant- either positive or negative- influence over the patient’s health. For this reason, meditation is absolutely necessary. And whilst meditation is stereotypically practiced merely by monks and other religious figures, it is most suitable for all people regardless of their health condition, age, gender, or economical status, and is practicable at anytime and anywhere.
As an Integrative Treatment access provider and a strong believer of holistic approaches, Unique Access Medical has incorporated meditation as a part of many Treatment Programs where both patients and their families are offered an opportunity to practice this art whenever available. The meditation sessions are guided and instructed by our own Meditation Consultant from Brazil, Emiliano Gomes, who has devoted more than 500 hours of his time to master the meditation techniques. Our patients, who mostly suffer from Spinal Cord Injuries, or Neurodegenerative diseases, as well as their families, have shared their personal experience and how meditation has benefited them exceedingly, not only physically, but psychologically as well.
“Many thoughts are coming in my mind, even my blood pressure was shooting up and down because of the stress for what will happen. After meditation, it became calm and focused. No negative thoughts in the mind, only positivity. I was calm, relaxed, and happy. It’s too good. I cannot explain how it feels,” shared a caregiver.
