Combatting Stress With Meditation

The human body is an amazing thing. As long as we take care of and respect our bodies by exercising, eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and getting enough rest, our bodies can and will heal themselves! Our immune system is an amazing and powerful concept. It's our built-in army just waiting to attack any outside invader that comes along. The most common factor that depletes and runs down our immune system is STRESS.

Stress is the root of so many diseases and conditions that our society suffers from today. Most people don't even realize when they are stressed or in a stressed state. We've all become so used to dealing with hectic, stressful lifestyles that we eventually become conditioned to it and accept it as part of our daily routine. This long-term, daily exposure to mental or physical stress is what's so damaging to our bodies. It increases your heart rate and blood pressure, it increases hormone production, it shuts down certain organ functions and causes all kinds of physical changes that we are not meant to deal with on a long-term daily basis.

We need to learn how to be more aware of the stressful situations and thoughts that we face every day and deal with it effectively before it begins to cause damage.

Meditation is a practice of focus. It helps bring our body back to its natural state of relaxation . It enables us to physically and mentally release stress by turning our attention inward and focusing on our breath. The most important element to successful meditation is learning how to be present - "in the now". Being able to forget about the past and not worry about the future. This is the most challenging part for most people. It takes time and practice. It helps to picture your thoughts as clouds passing across the sky. Be briefly aware of them and then let them pass and drift away. Try not to follow them.

We all should practice thinking in the present moment - not only in meditation , but throughout the day. It helps you to focus and give 100% to everything you do. It also helps you relax by making you take your mind off of your worries and stops you from focusing on negativity.

With practice, meditation brings awareness to all areas of daily life by awakening your heart and mind.

Some of the physical and mental benefits of meditation are:* Relaxation and a sense of calm by helping you learn how to detach yourself from troubling/stressful thoughts and situations enabling you to lower your blood pressure, which benefits your heart.

* As a result of less stress throughout your day, you will benefit by having a more restful night's sleep.

* It sharpens your concentration and heightens all of your senses, which helps you become more alert and observant in daily life.

* Being conscious of your posture and breath is very beneficial by properly oxygenating your lungs and bloodstream. As a result, this increases your energy level throughout the day.

I have also had my share of stressful situations in my life. In my case, it eventually caught up to me in the form of Fibromyalgia. I didn't know it, but this started my quest for natural healing. After years of seeing many doctors who sent me for many tests and prescribed different antidepressants (which only made me feel worse)I finally found the healing power of Reiki and meditation. Once I learned about energy healing ( www.journey2healing.net ) and the importance of meditating and clearing my mind of negative thought patterns, I finally realized just how powerful and damaging stress really is.

Working as a nurse, I see how people suffer from stressful lifestyles and neglecting to take time to listen to their bodies until it's too late.

I want to help people learn how to relax and de-stress before they do permanent damage to their bodies.