When some of us think of meditation, we may conjure up images of the monk who lives in a monastery or the yogi who lives in a cave. But the truth is, meditation is something anyone can do, and it provides tremendous benefits to today’s hurried and overstressed society. I’m talking about everyday people like you and I who may worry about how the bills are going to get paid, who get irritable when someone cuts them off in traffic, and who get a headache when the line in the grocery store is long and the kids are fighting. Meditation is a powerful yet simple practice that produces measurable changes in the body which continue even after the practice session ends.
Many of us are in a continuous state of stress as we live our daily lives. While a heightened fight or flight response helps us in a survival situation, a chronic state causes many long term problems. As I have mentioned in other articles, acupuncture reduces stress hormones in the blood and thereby balancing conditions caused by chronic stress like insomnia, hypertension, poor digestive function, depression, anxiety and migraines. Meditation has that same effect. Acupuncture and meditation each increase immune system function, increase serotonin production which when levels are low causes depression and headaches, and they also reduce anxiety. Studies on groups of college students have demonstrated improved memory and a greater ability to focus after beginning a meditation practice.
Practitioners report that meditation is a way of getting to know and accept oneself in a way that is not attached to ego. It is, in essence, about letting go. In fact, once we learn how not to give the ego so much power over us, joy and happiness become more prominent features in our lives. Used in conjunction with regular acupuncture care, one’s sense of balance and well-being we can achieve is even more amplified. With all the amazing benefits meditation has to offer, it is surprising that more people aren’t learning and utilizing this valuable technique and doing it regularly. Meditation requires no special gear, no paid memberships or going to a particular location to do it. All it requires is a quiet space of your choosing for you to practice. Sometimes, getting started can seem challenging if you do not have a teacher and aren’t sure where to begin.
As a long time meditation practitioner, meditation has made an enormous difference in my life and I would like to pass on this highly beneficial technique to you. I will be teaching a single evening class on how to get started and some of the things you might experience during a practice, as well as how to avoid some potential pitfalls (see more details below). I will also show you an incredible technique called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) that dissipates trauma, deeply held emotions and is now also being used to help manifest abundance.