Take a breath with Wellness Wednesday!

Peace of Mind

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, traditionally used to help deepen understanding of the sacred and spiritual forces of life. Meditation is still practiced in spirituality today, but it is also used for relaxation and stress relief.

Types of Meditation

There is no right or wrong way to meditate, and there are many different types to choose from. It’s all about finding the right practice that works for your lifestyle. Here are some examples of meditations:

• Loving-Kindness Meditation, or Metta Meditation: Designed to promote love and compassion within yourself and toward others.
• Body scan, or progressive relaxation: Encourages you to scan your body for areas of tension, starting at one end of your body and moving throughout. This is a great practice for sleep!
• Mindfulness Meditation: Encourages awareness of existing surroundings to remain present and aware.
• Spiritual Meditation: Meditation can be beneficial in strengthening your spiritual or religious practice to promote spiritual growth. Essential oils are popular in these practices to heighten the experience.

Visit these two articles for more information on the above meditations (Medical News Today, Healthline). These are just a couple of examples, but if none of these fit your lifestyle you can find the best practice that works for you!

Benefits of Meditation

Science has shown that there are numerous benefits to practicing meditation! Here are a few of these benefits:

• Reduce inflammation response caused by stress
• Controls anxiety
• Decrease blood pressure
• Promote emotional health

Movement Meditation

Meditation doesn’t have to be just sitting still if that’s not your style. Movement meditation can be a great alternative to those still looking to find peace in action and prefer to let their minds wander.

Walking meditation is a great example because it can be done inside or outside. Here are some benefits of walking meditations, in addition to reducing anxiety:

• Improved circulation
• Improved balance
• Improved sleep quality – especially if you walk early in the morning!
• Improved well-being when walking in nature
• Improved digestion

Take a Walk

Whether you’re walking inside or outside, try a walking meditation! Click here for a 10-minute guided walking meditation that you can practice anytime, anywhere. After your walk, take note of how you feel right after and think how you can bring this kind of awareness to other parts of your life!