Meditation and Well-being

Meditation has long gone beyond the confines of Oriental culture and religious canons, and has enjoyed increased popularity in the present-day world. Have you started practicing meditation yet? Before you begin meditating with us, we want to share a detailed introduction to this mental practice.

Meditation is the practice of ceasing the inner dialogue, a tool to promote physical and mental health, and an effective brain exerciser. Meditation is not exclusive to yogis. It is indispensable for everyone, especially those who are depressed. Meditation brings about psychoemotional and physical relaxation. It can incorporate a set of breathing exercises, repetition of motivational phrases or listening to relaxing music, or even such a familiar mundane act as reading. The reason is that meditation is nothing else but the mind’s focus on an object or its absence, that is, on emptiness. You might say that it is a sort of contemplation.

Meditation empowers you to control not only your consciousness, but also your inner energy — your life force. Meditation is a perfect way to improve the quality of your life: it rids you of everything that distracts you from what is important; it breaks the vicious cycle of tension; you become more liberated from intrusive thoughts and experiences. A daily practice will reveal new levels of consciousness, identify your true values, and unlock your intrinsic potential.\n\nNeurobiological studies conducted at Harvard University show that the grey matter in the brain associated with learning, memory, and emotions becomes denser during meditation. Meditation also allows restoring the balance of control between the right and left hemispheres and relieves stress. A person feels calm, achieves a sense of clear presence in the moment, and this brings satisfaction with life.

Beginners should start with 5 to 10 minutes once a day and gradually increase the number of times or the period they devote to meditation. The longer you meditate, the better. Ideally, you will benefit the most from a practice that lasts from 30 to 60 minutes. It is important that you meditate on a daily basis.\n\nThe first thing to do is to choose a place to meditate — quiet and peaceful. If you are indoors, remember to air the room. Dim the lights and make sure you are warm and comfortable. An important element of meditation is that your body should be still. Sit in a lotus posture or with your legs tucked under you, or you can also use a chair or even meditate standing up, as long as your back is straight and your body remains still. You can use a pillow and a throw, or lean against a wall. Turn on the MoonX meditation. Try to hear, see, and feel what is going on inside you. The next day, add one minute to your meditation time.

Morning meditations provide a more profound energy boost for the entire day, they invigorate and inspire. Since your brain is in a borderline state, balancing between sleep and wakefulness right after you wake up, beginners are advised to do meditations in the morning rather than at night.

The best rule to follow in today’s world is to meditate in any situation whether you feel tired, experience a loss of energy, irritability, suffer from distress, or sadness. A few exercises will help you regain your resources.\n\nIt is very useful to meditate before you go to bed, at the end of a hard day. It will help you fall asleep and relax.

The beauty of meditation is that it can be practiced anywhere, by anyone. It has virtually no contraindications. However, people suffering from mental illnesses such as the depressive syndrome, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, as well as patients with epilepsy should consult their attending physician, because aggravation cannot be ruled during a long period of focus. Supervised practice for such diagnoses can alleviate the condition.