Meditation and its benefits to body and mind in modern times

STRESS has become the highest cause for chronic illnesses in the world. The toll of modern day living with the incessant explosion of information, busy lifestyles, uncertainty of our economic environment and personal safety have escalated levels of stress in our communities. This necessitates people needing to find a way to slow down their minds, create inner space of calm and develop greater control over their thoughts and emotions.

Meditation, an ancient practice that involves breath, reflection and inner concentration, is becoming a necessity to integrate in ones life. Meditation is time taken for quiet reflection and silence. It is a practice that builds a capacity in an individual to pause for a moment, in the midst of chaos, to go inwards to the core of inner silence to feel centred and then act. In this way one of the first benefits of meditation is learning to respond and not react.

Research has indicated that a regular practice of meditation has a significant impact on both the body and mind.

Here are a few examples:

Reduces stress and anxiety: breath plays an important role in the practice of meditation. So as one breathes deeply and slowly, it helps to reduce stress and anxiety by calming the mind and reducing the production of stress hormones like cortisol.

It enhances concentration and focus: the actual process of meditation involves becoming aware of ones thoughts through observation and gently directing your thoughts in a positive and spiritual direction. This practice helps one over time to gain the ability to concentrate and stay focused.

Boosts your immune system and lowers your blood pressure: through the practice of meditation,  you experience less stress and are better able to manage your anxiety thus lowering your blood pressure and boosting your immune system by reducing inflammation and increasing the production of antibodies.

Improves sleep quality: regular meditation, especially in the evening, helps you to slow down mentally and emotionally. This can help to improve the quality of your sleep, which can have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being.

Enhances emotional well-being: meditation is a tool that supports you to step out of negative thought patterns hence reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increasing feelings of happiness, positivity, and overall emotional well-being.

Increases self-awareness: wellbeing is directly connected to self-awareness, and a meditation practice gently supports you to develop a better understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It also awakens the awareness of yourself as consciousness. This inner awareness helps to shift perspective and redirect one's focus from the material to the spiritual which brings a natural calm and joy.

Connection with the Divine: perhaps the most powerful result of meditation is that it is a practice that helps you connect with the Divine source. This leads to a deeper feeling of belonging, and being nurtured, which empowers one to be resilient and peaceful in spite of challenges.

Raja yoga meditation, as taught by the Brahma Kumaris, gives you a clear spiritual understanding of yourself, helps you re-discover and use the positive qualities already latent within you. These benefits extend more than just the body and mind but also enables one to develop your strength of character and to create new attitudes and responses to life from a place of inner peace, clarity and self-control.

Brahma Kumari Pratiba Daya has been a practitioner of meditation from the age of 15. She worked in the corporate environment for many years as a systems analyst, and is currently based in Johannesburg at the Brahma Kumaris Center in Observatory. Pratiba is one of the main facilitators and teachers in Gauteng and nationally. Visit: www.brahmakumaris.org.za

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