CEBU, Philippines - The residues of our daily grinds take a toll on us – our mind and body. A hanging concern can get in the way of our sleep. A hard day of physical work can leave our muscles worn out.
The physical aspect is not as much of a problem. The body usually heals itself during sleep. And, luckily, a tired body does not have trouble in dozing off to sleep.
It’s appeasing a troubled mind that is quite a challenge. Take, for instance, how tricky it is when we try to not think of something bothersome. Our thoughts just go in circles – the more we want to throw something out, the more it sticks.
“Let it go; let it go…” the song the movie advises. It’s, indeed, good advice. Good but not easy to do.
Certified yoga instructor Crystal Fenton, writing at www.fitnessgoals.com, suggests meditation for clearing the mind of burdensome litter. She points out that people who meditate regularly “become more focused, make better decisions, have more empathy, are more intuitive, calmer, centered and, most importantly, happier.”
Meditation, according to Fenton, is also thought to actually change the brain – by regulating emotions and rewiring the thought processes of the brain. She says meditation helps people pay attention to and become aware of how they feel. This, she emphasizes, is empowering and leads to conscious choices about self-care, including how we treat ourselves, who we surround ourselves with and what we put in our bodies.
That’s a good point there. The process of meditation actually calms the mind, and so the person who meditates is able to see things in the proper perspective. Thus, he or she is more objective and likely to make sound decisions.
It sure takes a firm decision these days to be mindful of one’s own health. With the myriad of unhealthy choices that modernity presents, it seems to take a resolve of a saint to consistently go for healthy options. For the most part, the modern lifestyle is self-depreciating, physically and mentally.
And the benefits of meditation are not only mental, but physical as well. In fact, the mental wellbeing that results from regular meditation actually has physical basis. Fenton quotes meditation instructor Dina Kaplan: “[Meditation] reduces the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the body, so it literally makes you healthier. It also helps you become more focused, relaxed and creative.”
Fenton explains that stress releases cortisol in the body, which decreases immunity. It is common knowledge how stress accelerates the aging process, the reason according to Fenton being that stress “can also shrink the caps on our DNA, called telomeres, which research shows directly leads to visible signs of aging.” Acceleration in the signs of aging, Fenton adds, stems from wearing down the body’s genetic defense, destroying telomeres.
Negative thoughts or worrying often trigger a negative emotional response which can, over time, shorten the length of a telomere, Fenton explains. A person can be stressed in two ways – actual and perceived. Stress can come from actual irritants or the person’s erroneous perception of an otherwise harmless situation. Either way, it takes its toll on the person.
Fortunately, there is a way out of stress. One need not go on bent under the weight of trouble that he can actually learn to let go of. Meditation is that way.
It takes a firm decision, of course, to let go of something that might have already become automatic behavior. But then again, the practice of meditation can help one to make that decision and to follow the chosen course. Fenton suggests taking a moment to be grateful for the good things going on in life, rather than worrying about those that are not perfect.
Meditation trains the mind to accept the situation as it is or at least for one to be thoughtful about his emotional response to it. It helps the person to learn to let go of toxicity in its various forms – people, relationships, negativity, emotions or physical pains – that saddle his life experience.
“Let it go,” Crystal Fenton and Dina Kaplan are united in their advice. Not that easy to follow but possible. Meditation, while often overlooked by many, can really help a person reclaim his birthright to a life of peace and happiness.