There’s no doubt, we are living in turbulent times. Yet we have the choice to watch the news or social media and go down the rabbit hole of frightful emotions, or we can take a walk in nature, listening to an uplifting podcast, or sit on our cushions and allow our minds to rest in meditation and open awareness.
Prolonged stress, negative thinking and fear all suppress our immune systems, increasing our chances of depression, anxiety, illness, and disease. All major diseases have been linked to stress and poor lifestyle choices. Lack of exercise, poor eating habits and negative self-talk can lead to a spiral of bad health and potential chronic disease.
When we sit on our cushion, we can cultivate feelings of loving kindness and compassion for all beings and our open-heart warms and radiates emotion that feed our cells with a healing frequency. Our thoughts and emotions influence our outside world and those around us. We’ve all had the experience of being around Rinpoches, lamas, teachers or happy people and children that lighten up the energy of the room. The aim is to cultivate that beneficial energy and to lift up the people around you.
Benefits of Meditation:
· Developing a new perspective on stressful situations.
· Building skills to manage your stress, reduction of anxiety.
· Beneficial effects on the immune system
· Increasing self-awareness & focus on the present moment.
· Reducing negative emotions.
· Increasing imagination and creativity.
· Increasing patience and tolerance.
· Development of loving kindness & compassion
When I received a cancer diagnosis, leaning into my meditation practice gave me stability and a sense of peace, free from fear or negative thinking. The cells in our bodies respond to our emotional states, and the positive emotions we experience through meditation help to strengthen our immune system.
Although situations may appear dire, we are able have the choice to accept our situation and not fall into fear or victim mode. We are the most powerful source for our own healing and the healing of the planet. When we believe that and walk the path of empowerment, we can have a profound effect on ourselves and others.
“Never underestimate the power of the mind. How you work with things really can transform what seems to be. Working with the inner has the ability to transform the outer – though not in any linear way you can put your finger on.” From Pema Chödrön – Welcoming the Unwelcome
Written by Anne Halloran