Stress is one of the leading causes of physical and emotional breakdown in people and so managing this stress can have a considerable impact on our health and well being. The benefits gained when practicing guided meditation are those that are barely noticeable, happening silently in your subconscious mind with no conscious knowledge. In order to better understand how guided meditation will aid your health, you need to understand some basic terminology and the first is Homeostasis. This term refers to the process of your various physiological systems collaborating to properly manage the peak environment for your internal system functionality. In other words, this is your body doing its best to achieve a balance.
Everyone’s body is engineered with eleven main organ systems. Let us look at those organ structures to help you understand better the intricacies of this meditative course of action.
• Integumentary – (epidermis or skin);
• Skeletal;
• Muscular;
• Nervous;
• Endocrine – [hormones];
• Circulatory;
• Lymphatic – [disease immunity];
• Respiratory;
• Digestive;
• Urinary;
• Reproductive.
For each second that you are alive, these systems are continuously at work, scrutinizing your body and constantly making modifications to every one of these systems.
The Astounding Human Body
As a matter of practicality, when we consume food, the body is compelled to produce particular enzymes and concentrate the flow of blood so that digestion may occur. When you do aerobic exercise, your body needs to regulate your body temperature to prevent you from overheating. When you draw blood because of an accident of some kind, a number of your systems join forces to mend the spot you injured and to defend against any infection. The obvious instances are the most common to contemplate.
However, think about your body under stress. When you are in a stressful situation there is no physical display of damage – at least not one that can be easily spotted like a gash or bruising. Focus your mind’s eye on a potential deadline, monetary crisis or personal strife; you know this absolutely influences your functionality. You feel your body compensating by becoming physically exhausted or some other response. The body is continuous in its monitoring and modifies to any number of influential reactions.
The process of Homeostasis is continuously vigilant in an attempt to aid in maintaining a balance.
Other terms you need to understand have to do with your autonomic nervous system. They are partitioned into two divides – the sympathetic and parasympathetic. In layman’s terms, it means you are in one or another of “Fight or Flight” form or “Rest and Digest” form.
The best analogy to aid in better understanding this dates back to prehistoric time. Early man needed to stand and fight to kill in order to eat or Run [Flight] from the dangerous animal so mealtime was not suddenly reversed! Adrenalin surged in his system regardless of his choice. That is existing in the sympathetic nervous system.
When things finally calmed down, he was able to sit quietly in his habitat, stirring the fire with his spear for some enjoyment. He was able to unwind. He was not a slave to an employer, there were no ringing telephones, bill collectors and he was able to lay back and relax. This is the parasympathetic form of existence.
The world we exist in today is downright frantic in comparison – so many of us settling into “go mode”. Stress has become a common occurrence. How often do you hear yourself or others complain of needing a holiday; momentarily seeing yourself relaxing on a secluded beach with a pineapple full of some exotic cocktail when suddenly you come crashing back to reality. There is no time, no additional money and you have responsibilities! Shame on you for even thinking that way…
However, if you remain in fight or flight form for an extended period of time your body becomes exhausted. There is evidence to prove this fact. When you are under a bombardment of stress, your body is more likely to succumb to illness and ill health – physically and emotionally. It is the simplest thing to get caught up in a downward spin due to excessive stress. It is human nature and a personality trait of those who are susceptible to stress to work even harder though they feel lousy. They will continue to do their job as they would if they were in peak condition, which they are not.
Your performance will suffer, any task you perform is difficult, mistakes are easier to make and in the end, you create even more work. Who reading this has never been there? Working even harder to get the job done even though we are operating at a distinct disadvantage is a common trap. We allow our work to consume us, put in longer hours and sacrifice much enjoyment in our lives. We do this so we can either keep our jobs, or simply have more things we think we need.
The slope you are navigating is covered in ice. When you become this ensnared in your stress, often the only thing that will pull you from your spiral is an illness or health scare of some variety. It is your body’s way of letting you know it needs a breather. No doubt, it is tough, but very true.
Hence, another look at Homeostasis. The body calibrating itself. The balancing of all of life’s influences. There will be occasions when you find it necessary to run around with your hair on fire – often quite exciting times and memorable for their fun and achievement. Nevertheless, what about resting and digesting? [This does not mean unbuckling your belt in front of the television after a big meal!]
At what point do you find the time to flee from the circumstances of your stress and take some time for just you?
When you do find the time for a balance adjustment, understand that it is better in repeated amounts. Finding just short but recurrent reprieves from your stress is critical. Finding the discipline to regularly take a break where you do nothing is giving yourself the gift of opportunity to improve your life and add quality to it.
Meditation is a magnificent method to aid Homeostasis. Guided meditation allows your mind to follow the words to a story, allowing you to disengage for a short period from your average daily routine.
When your mind is being diverted, your body is submitting to relaxation and your eleven systems can concentrate on your health and well being. When you commit to practice, you will only need a minute to calm down toward your curative parasympathetic nervous division.
Certain benefits from meditation will be palpable and instantaneous. You will find your breathing becoming deeper; you will feel less weighted and rejuvenated. However, the secret benefits you derive from meditation work quietly in the shadows of your physiology – longevity and quality health.
Be certain of this, guided meditation is great for a person. Do more than understand that balance is vital to your life – put it into practice. Find ten minutes – three times each day and make a difference in your life that you will feel immediately.
Namaste.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Kids and Massage Therapy
Today's question is, How can massage benefit kids?
Massage for children offers a variety of health benefits. It is human nature to touch as a way of showing love and affection. This touch stimulates the body in positive ways to help it grow and develop. Massage is beneficial at any age but because children are still developing it can be especially helpful for them. Parent-child massage is a wonderful way to bond with your children while offering them health benefits.
Infant Weight Gain
Premature babies often struggle with weight gain. Touch, obtained through gentle massage and cuddling, releases a growth hormone in a premature infant that helps him gain necessary weight and aids development of vital organs and the brain. A study by the Department of Neonatology at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. showed that premature infants who were massaged, particularly with kinesthetic stimulation (body stroking and passive movement of the limbs), gained more weight.
Stress and Anxiety Relief
Massage reduces stress hormone levels and blood glucose levels. According to Maria Hernandez-Reif, a researcher at the Touch Research Institute, lower stress hormones not only reduce feelings of anxiety but contribute to a healthier immune system. The immune system fights illnesses by defending the body against toxins, parasites, bacteria, microbes, pathogens and viruses. Due to its relaxing effect, massage has been found to reduce asthma symptoms in children and help them adhere to a sometimes painful diabetes treatment program.
Stimulates Motor Development
Children are developing their motor (movement) skills as they grow. Massage helps ease tension and pain in developing muscles that make motor skills possible. A study by the University of Miami indicates that massage improved motor function in children with Down syndrome, and the Journal of Pediatric Psychology reports that massage improved motor ability in children infected with HIV.
Stimulates Cognitive Development
According to Early Child Development and Care, preschoolers performed better on an IQ test following a 15-minute massage than they did from reading books. The International Journal of Neuroscience reported that massage improved function in the brain, resulting in increased alertness as well as speed and accuracy during math problems.
See! Massage really can benefit the whole family!
Namaste.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Heart Meditation.
How to meditate from the Heart
Whatever your personal situation right now, meditation can help you to feel greater calm and inner peace. Instead of using your outer will to transform your life, meditation helps you to access your "inner voice" or guide. Some like to refer to this 'inner voice" as your Heart. Your Heart knows what's correct for you, but its voice is often drowned out by the confusion reigning in the mind. Meditation helps quiet the mind so you can listen to your Heart. By listening to our Heart we can experience greater peace and better health which in turn bring us more fulfilled and balanced lives. (Taken from Fragrant Heart.com)
Visit Many different websites for free guided heart mediations,
or simply find a quiet room or space you can be alone; close your eyes and simple ask your heart aloud or silently what it is that you need answering.
There after if necessary, write these things that come to mind down, regardless of how much sense they make, and move forward from there.
Although writing these things down is not necessary it does help with helping manifest the positive into our lives that we need by seeing it in front of us.
A few websites to begin this heart mediation journey:
(These are safe to click)
You may wonder why this whole post is in green -
Green is the color of the heart chakra, located in the center of our chest; just below our throat's center.
Envisioning a green light vortex spinning and surrounding you with green healing light while meditating is also a beautiful healing practice.
Good Luck and may you from here on out come from, live from and speak from the heart.<3
Namaste.
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