An awakening
The yellow line slowly painted its way across the horizon. As the seconds glided forward, some cosmic alchemy splashed cerulean blue across an obsidian coated sky. As the sun stretched out its hands, the early morning diffused a pleasant coolness onto an awakening day.
Wind-driven ripples in the pool water mirrored the promise of a summer masterpiece. The perfect smooth purple red mangoes hung precariously from their branches as the freshly trimmed green grass scented the surrounding air. The neatly hedged background was filled with large radiant crimson flowers. As the sun played its morning tune, their rippled petals reflected various shades of red. An evocative new fragrance invaded the realm.
The scent of jasmine blossoms effortlessly stimulated the olfactory apparatus and in turn flooded the serotonin receptors. Intoxicating was an understatement. There is no greater place to embrace a summer day than in the midst of a lush garden. As I stood absorbing the beautiful silence, I made my way to the lapa where I laid my mat on an elevated perch. I straightened my back as I crossed my legs.
The Lotus pose, perfect for balancing the chakras and soothing the inflamed psyche. As my breathing steadied and became deeper and more rhythmic, the physical world slowly slipped away. I became trapped in my own consciousness. Tension faded like a ripple slowly into the distance. As oxygen, life’s golden elixir continued to fuel my now sedate psyche, I felt beautiful steady energetic vibrations enter my body.
I journeyed into the dark beauty of space, guided by the glistening light of the entropic stars. It was an infinite universe, powered by my own neurons’ steady and rhythmic pulse. And while I could only be alone here in this cerebral cosmos, I felt peaceful and happy. As my steady and controlled breathing became my focal point, the vibrations continued to flood my body. I was trapped in a consciousness where stress and anxiety were non-existent. An elusive place no doubt, but one present in all of us. All that is required is a willing psyche with an enlightened GPS. And I journeyed on, to galaxies no spaceship would willingly dare. I felt a firm steady pull on my linen pajama trouser.
The blue giants and white dwarfs slowed as another tug was felt. This cosmic journey was about to come to an end as I slowly opened my eyes. I squinted slightly as the now dazzling sun bombarded my ocular network. As my eyes accustomed to the light, I saw in front of me the most beautiful sight imaginable. As our gazes met, a luminous smile spread across the handsome face.
There in front of me stood my four-year-old son Azeem. “Abba can you give me my breakfast?” It was Saturday morning and Azeem and I were usually the first people awake. These moments together became cherished memories for me. Even though I was interrupted this time, meditation became a regular part of my routine and it was something I enjoyed. But one wonders from a scientific point of view if it has any benefits? Meditation is a form of mental and mindfulness training.
It is capable of establishing a link between the body, mind and spirit. Meditation is a type of complementary and integrative medicine that originated in spiritual traditions but is now used in psychobehavioural therapy. It entails training your mind to focus and redirecting your thoughts on a regular basis. One of the most common reasons people try meditation is to relieve stress. High levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, can result from both mental and physical stress. Cortisol causes inflammatory cytokines to be released.
Sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, fatigue and brain fog can all result from this. One eight-week study found that mindfulness meditation could reduce the inflammatory response caused by stress. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately one in every four deaths each year. According to an American Heart Association review, while research is still in its early stages, there is enough evidence to suggest meditation reduces blood pressure and can be used as an adjunct treatment for coronary disease and its prevention. Studies also show that meditation improves cognitive performance and reduces atrophy of the brain.
By prescribing medications, medicine seeks to improve health and extend life. These are always associated with side effects. If alternative natural therapies work, they will eliminate these risks. Medicine has recently embraced meditation.
Patients with coronary issues, anxiety, auto-immune diseases, cancer and other conditions, are referred to The Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine by the Massachusetts General Hospital. When one ponders great journeys, it is the adventurous hearts of those such as Marco Polo, Genghis Khan and Amelia Earhart that invade the mind. And while their astonishing exploits never fail to amaze and inspire, I believe the greatest journeys are those that take place in the hallowed sanctity of one’s own mind. It is here that one knows no bounds and where harmony is attained.