Rediscovering The Immense Benefits Of Meditation

As the pace of life gets faster and we find ourselves leading ever busier lives so we tend to overlook both our physical and mental health so that we are all now suffering from varying degrees of stress. It is not surprising therefore that we are turning increasingly to time honored practice of meditation.

Because of its proven record of effectiveness, meditation today is being carried out not merely to calm the mind and reduce stress levels but also to deal with a widening range of physical complaints.

Indeed there are numerous physical benefits to be derived from meditation which slows the heart rate and therefore the strain on the heart, lowers levels of the 'stress' hormone cortisol and other chemicals in the body that are linked to stress and reduces the number of free radicals in the body so further helping to lower blood pressure. Meditation also improves the oxygen flow through the lungs to assist breathing and can even increasing levels of DHEA to help slow aging.

As far as its psychological benefits, meditation reduces irritability and anxiety and increases your memory and therefore your ability to learn. Accordingly, it also produces a positive outlook on life giving you a feeling of youthfulness and rejuvenation.

Some of the other noteworthy benefits to be derived from meditation exercises include:

* Producing a total relaxation of not merely the mind and body but also of your psyche.

* Assisting with the healing of a number of illnesses for which there is an association between the physical condition and the emotional state of the patient.

* Creating an opening of the door into the 'inner self' Which allows for the release of our innate creativity.

* Producing an enhancement to our innate self-confidence leading to a stronger and more dominant sense of will power.

* Generating an increase in energy levels which make it easier to face the strains of daily life.

* Generating a greater ability to deal with a variety of addictions and vices ranging from alcohol and tobacco to tranquilizers and narcotics.

And so the list goes on.

However, like anything else meditation can be a powerful force for good if it is used properly but it is also problematic when it is not used properly. The key therefore is to understand precisely what guided meditation can do and to learn the art of meditation before adding daily meditation into your normal pattern of life.