Still the Mind Without Sitting Still J "Just sit still and think of nothing. It's easy." That's what my meditation teacher told me years ago when I approached a Master in need of relief from insomnia and arthritis at age 22. My response: "Whaaaa? Think of nothing?!?! I'm sorry, but you have the wrong gal for that!" Have you ever felt like your mind is a runaway train? You've got thoughts of finances and groceries and traffic and kids and it's all spinning out of control... Sure, sitting still would be great if you had the time, and thinking of nothing would be a nice reprieve from the barrage of thoughts your mind spins out on a moment-to-moment basis. The benefits of meditation are extensive, ranging from increased immune function to better learning capacity. But seriously folks, who actually DOES it?? Ready for some tricks to tame the wild beast that is your mind? Talk to the Heart! When you really need something done, you go to the boss, right? Well, the boss of the brain, and the monkey mind, is actually the heart. So to quiet the mind, we must speak to the heart. The heart has an electromagnetic field that is 500 times more powerful than that of the brain. The beat-to-beat variability of your heart is called coherence, and it influences your blood pressure, hormone function, immune system, your ability to think clearly and to learn, and your level of inner peace. The more consistent your heart rate, the better. "OK, great," you may be saying. "I need to create consistency in my heartbeats. But don't I need to live in a cave in the Himalayas for twelve years in order to achieve that kind of control?" NO! You can do it right now, this very minute. I am 100% sure. If you have 30 seconds, you can turn off your stress response, and turn up your inner calm. Take a moment right now, and think of someone or something you love. A child, perhaps, or a pet. Or maybe you have a favorite spot in the garden, or a memory of a good friend. Close your eyes, or soften your gaze. Feel your heart begin to open. It's OK. Nobody is watching J Allow yourself to appreciate this person, animal, place, or memory. Now dwell on that feeling for just a moment.... You just created coherence! J One thought, 10 seconds, and you changed your heart rate, reduced your blood pressure, increased your immune function, and improved your ability to learn and retain information. Now imagine if you did that ten times a day? Or twenty? Waiting in line at the Post Office? Think about the inside joke you had yesterday with your child. Got an overdue bill in the mail? Remember how wonderful the sun felt on your face this morning. Deadline at work? Take ten seconds to bask in appreciation for your best friend. Now imagine if we all did that ten times a day? J Imagine the fun we'd have. Imagine the smiles. Imagine the cooperation. Ha! You did it again! More coherence! See how many times you can trick your friends into coherence this month J Make them smile. Share a beautiful story. Give free hugs. Spread health in your body and your life by sneaking up on your mind and opening your heart. Peace, blessings, and hugs to all! Claire J Web: NaiaHealingArts.com Email: NaiaHealingArts@gmail.com |
Monday, October 17, 2011
Still the Mind Without Sitting Still
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