Shut Up And Heal: The Benefits of Silence & Brief Meditation
Have you ever thought something like... "I really should meditate. It's good for me. It reduces stress. Harvard says it makes my brain more efficient and even grow. But I just can't. A moment without thought in a weird position is impossible for me."
Most people who are interested in meditation have thought this or something like it. They also sometimes - erroneously - think meditation requires training, sitting in uncomfortable positions for long periods, having no thoughts whatsoever, and maybe facing north while chanting something strange... when in fact, it often doesn't.
Meditation can be really, really simple and its benefits easy to obtain.
• Imagine sitting down for 1 minute without any or very little external noise (ie: people, music, computers, tvs, etc).
• Imagine washing the dishes for 30 seconds while you notice the curve of the plate you're washing.
• Imagine taking a deep breath into your belly, holding it for 5 seconds and exhaling.
These are all "meditation." And they produce some significant, healing, even long term results. A study from Duke University Medical Center, for instance, has found that:
"...evidence suggests that even brief... simple meditation technique(s) can improve negative mood and perceived stress in healthy adults, which could yield long-term health benefits." (read it)
So what are you waiting for? The benefits of even very brief moments of silence and meditation can make a real, actual and measurable difference. So... Take a deep breath, get silent and improve your health, ease your mind and lift your spirits. Or as CBS MoneyWatch.com says... Shut Up & Heal (read it).
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About The Author CJ Kenna is a Founding Director at the nonprofit Rock The Path, a Hemi-Sync Meditation & Retreat Center in Camden, Maine. She co-facilitates the daylong retreat workshop, Silence.
