Regular practice of meditation also promotes self healing at the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels.
Many beginners find meditation a daunting task. Likely, they’ve read a book based upon Buddhist customs which promotes very strict adherence to posture and technique. While these practices are very important for the discipline needed for monks seeking the path to enlightenment, it is a bit too much for the average person.
Meditation for Stress Relief
Meditation need not be practiced for long periods of time to be effective. Just five to fifteen minutes a day can be very beneficial for stress relief. Doing so rests and refocuses the mind allowing individual to be far more productive and effective.
Meditation Is as Easy as Breathing
The most basic of meditations are simply breathing exercises. This is achieved through deep breathing from the abdomen while focusing on the breath; passively allowing thoughts to come and go; or using a focus object such as a flame, picture, or music. Essentially the slow deep breaths force the body to relax, releasing that fight or flight reaction that happens when the body is stressed.
To manage Fibromyalgia symptoms, visualizations can be added to the breathing exercises. Using these exercises, pain, fatigue, and other Fibromyalgia related symptoms can be imagined as physical objects. In the mind’s eye, these objects can be dissolved, released, or otherwise dismantled. If this process is based upon the healing power of the mind, opens up the individual to positive thinking, or just provides control in an otherwise uncontrollable situation is up for debate.
Meditation Promotes Self Healing
Nonetheless, meditation can directly or indirectly promote self healing. Really, any activity that reduces stress automatically increases the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Simply put, when the body is under stress, it assumes danger is near. Automatically, certain functions such as maintenance and repair are put off. Under chronic stress, such as that experienced by those with Fibromyalgia, the body is always on constant danger alert so self healing becomes a non-essential activity.
For this reason, stress relief is particularly important for those suffering from Fibromyalgia. Meditation is a great answer to this problem. Practice only takes a few minutes a day. On bad body days, exercises can be done laying down. Visualizations can be added to aid symptom management. Done before bed, meditation can promote recuperative sleep. The benefits are numerous: stress relief, more energy, greater concentration, increased production, and the means to let the body naturally repair itself.
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