Mind over matter can help light up your life
Recent scientific research into ancient meditation techniques has demonstrated the numerous benefits of mindfulness for body and mind.
More and more of us are working hard to take time out of each day to cope with stress and turning to a new practice such as going to a life coach, taking up yoga or following mindfulness where you live in the moment and try and take the worry out of life.
In particular, mindfulness decreases stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, emotional reactivity, and fatigue.
It also reduces what psychologists call rumination – that is, compulsive thinking with negative effect.
It regulates emotions and improves concentration, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.
But what exactly is mindfulness? And how can its benefits be harnessed to improve mental wellbeing?
Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not some new age preoccupation.
It does not require you to chant in some weird language or to wear exotic clothes. In fact, you don’t need to pick up a new set of beliefs or buy into a new religion to meditate.
All you need is the willingness to spend a little time with your thoughts.
Still, it might be daunting to just plop down onto a cushion and start meditating right away.
It may be less intimidating to take some baby steps to get used to the whole idea.
Because it’s well defined and physical, yoga may be more approachable for you as an introduction to meditation.
Relaxing and mindful, yoga also has a great number of health benefits, including reducing stress, increasing flexibility and suppleness, and easing muscle and joint pain.
Alternatively, download an app, while it might feel pretty awkward to go sit on a cushion when you’ve never done anything like that before, if there’s someone guiding you through the process, you won’t be plagued by as many doubts about the whole thing. And there are many apps designed for just that.
What both of these preliminaries have in common is that all involve paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally. In other words, being mindful. And both psychology and science show that cultivating these qualities of the mind can help us develop the inner resourcefulness and mental strength needed for dealing with the many challenges and opportunities life throws at us.