My name is Stephanie Mamantov and I have been in the fitness industry since 2008 as a personal trainer, a cancer exercise specialist, a yoga instructor and a meditation facilitator, and now a sound healing practitioner.
Today we are going to talk about the many benefits and ways to meditate. These are exciting times with Western medicine researching the benefits of meditation that have been known by other civilizations for centuries. It is from the research-proven perspective that I will be referring to in this article.
Regular meditation practice has physical as well as emotional benefits that anyone can put into practice. The key word is practice, and with regular practice, this becomes an effective tool that can be called upon and implemented during a stressful situation. Meditation can increase self-awareness allowing you to listen to the subtle messages that the body is always communicating. Some health benefits are lower resting heart rate and blood pressure, improved sleep, reduction of chronic pain, and reduced anxiety.
There are many types of meditation and breathing techniques that can be utilized. I always encourage my clients to try several types of meditation to see which one is a good fit. My personal practice includes several types of meditation that I use for different situations. I will describe some of my favorites below.
- Yoga Nidra allows you to explore what the body is sensing and embrace everything just as it is. I teach Dr. Richard Miller's Yoga Nidra as it is the most documented program with results seen at Walter Reed Army Hospital and the VA. The benefits are helpful with PTSD, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and more. I personally love the deep relaxation I experience in this practice.
- Mantra meditation is a fantastic practice for those who combat brain chatter. The mind is designed to think and for some of us, it is harder than others to quiet the mind. Mantra meditation helps people feel successful in a meditation practice as they are able to stay with the meditation for longer periods of time. Also, this practice, of one or more words being repeated, is in the present tense, positive, and stated as if already in existence. The mantra that I have taught the longest, and use myself is "I am free from tension, tightness, stress, and strain." The brain hears what you keep repeating and makes it so!
- Walking meditation helps those that have ADD, chronic back pain, or mind chatter to experience a relaxing meditation session. The practice can be indoors or outdoors. Find 10 to 15 steps that are free of clutter and have an even surface. Begin to walk the space with slow, deliberate steps, feeling the contact of one foot with the earth as the other lifts from the earth. It is an engrossing practice and one I highly recommend.
- Listening meditation is a favorite of mine and can be done indoors as it helps us to be more accepting of the environment that we live or work in. As an outdoor meditation one can experience a sense of peace as you listen to the sounds of nature. But it doesn’t have to be all bird songs, invite in the sounds of the urban setting as well. Once again, we become more accepting of our environment even when that environment might be construction or the trash truck.
If you have never meditated before it is best to set your timer for 3-5 minutes. Once you can stay with your meditation for that duration, try extending it by a minute or two. We don’t want to set ourselves up for failure, so baby step into your practice. It is also helpful to have a daily set time that you hold space for your practice. I feel most successful in my daily practice in the morning and it is part of my routine. But as I stated in the beginning, I may use my walking meditation to help digest some hard news, just as I might use a mantra meditation if I am having difficulty falling back to sleep.
I hope this has sparked your interest to begin a meditation practice or to return to one that you have had on the back burner. It’s great to start in any season of life, so don’t put it off, start today!
Namaste.
***Stephanie can be reached at rejuvenatemenowwellness@gmail.com where you can ask questions, make suggestions for future articles, and inquire about services.
