Peace of Mind:
Meditation can help your mind, body, and soul - all in just 20 minutes a day
Written By: Sarah Bowen Shea
Reprinted from May 2004 Issue of Real Simple Magazine
If meditation were a drug, its benefits would be almost too amazing for belief. Over the past decade, researchers have found that regular practice can lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, improve immune function, increase vitality, and improve sleep. "Meditation causes physiological changes that, over time, occur even when you're not meditating - like a runner having a lower hear rate even when she's not running," says Diane Reibel, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management Program at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, in Philadelphia.
You don't have to sit cross-legged for hours on end to reap these rewards. By spending just 20 minutes a day in a meditative state, you can improve your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Here's how meditation works and why, plus instructions for three basic forms that are easy for beginners.
The Meditating Brain
There are many types of meditation - from Transcendental to walking to one of the most basic forms, mindfulness. While the approaches are different, most share similar outcomes: reduced stress and increased mental clarity. You achieve these things by taking time out of your life to refocus your attention from daily worries (bills to pay, assignments to finish, dates to schedule, birthday cards to send) to the present moment. "There is one basic principle of meditation," says Reibel. "To focus your attention - whether it's on your breath, walking, or a sound - in a relaxed way."
Whatever type of meditation you practice, it is not about making your mind go blank. In fact, researchers have found that the brain is actually stimulated during meditation. A recent study found that regular meditation activates an area of the brain that is associated with positive emotions. The study, led by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in Worcester, and Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, followed a group of employees at a biotech firm in Madison who meditated every day for eight weeks. At the end of the study, the meditators' left prefrontal cortices (the area of the brain that is associated with reductions in anxiety and increases in positive feelings) showed marked activity. "The brain shift suggests more effective processing of negative emotions under stress," says Kabat-Zinn.
In addition to changes in brain activity, the meditators had improved immune functioning. After the eight-week program, the meditators were given a flu vaccine. Compared with a control group that had also received the vaccine, the meditators produced more antibodies, suggesting they had an increased ability to fight infection. And those meditators whose brain activity had shifted the most produced even more antibodies.
How To Begin
One good way to start is to buy a set of tapes or CDs and follow the guided meditations. If you prefer a live instructor and the company of other newcomers, join a local instruction group. Books can also help jump-start or deepen a meditation practice. Finally, you can just plunge in on your own. The three meditation techniques described on the following page are ideal for novices.
Does Working Out Count?
As any blissed-out marathoner will attest, exercise can be meditative. "Paying attention ot the sensation of movement can help you be present with what you're doing," says Jeffrey Brantley, M.D., founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at the Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine, in Durham, North Carolina. "Also, the repetitive nature of exercise can be relaxing."
However, your mind and body need to be connected for exercise to be truly meditative, says meditation teacher Diane Reibel. Your mind shouldn't be wandering or distracted. So riding a stationary bike while listening to Sheryl Crow on your iPod and reading The Da Vinci Code doesn't count.
Ultimately, meditation trumps exercise because it gives you an inner, portable way to handle stress. You can't just step out of a business meeting or a traffic jam and go for a swim, but you can summon the calming skills you've gained through meditation at any time or place.
Three Ways to Meditate
These approaches are effective yet simple. Consider which would work best for you, and be flexible: You might enlist one style at home, another while you're at work, and another when you're visiting relatives. Aim for 20 minutes a day. "But meditating for even a few minutes is beneficial," says Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, in Barre, Massachusetts. "It just won't have the same impact as meditating longer."
Mindfulness Meditation
This basic style focuses on breathing as a way to train your mind to stay in the present.
How To:
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Sit in a comfortable, upright position. If you're in a chair, place your hands in your lap and your feet flat on the floor. If you're on the floor, sit cross-legged.
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Close your eyes and take three or four deep, slow breaths. Then breathe gently until you feel a sense of peace and calmness. When thoughts arise (as they invariably will), notice them, then let them go. "Usually the mind is like a monkey, continually jumping around and grabbing onto things," says Jean Kristeller, Ph.D., director of the Center for the Study of Health, Religion, and Spirituality at Indiana State University, in Terre Haute. "Rest your mind gently on your breath until you notice yourself going off into chains of associated thoughts - the 'monkey mind.' Then again use your breath to refocus."
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Start with five minutes (the time it takes to quiet your thoughts), and build to at least 15 minutes daily.
Walking Meditation
For those who have a hard time sitting still, this active form of meditation is ideal.
How To:
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In your yard or living room, find a clear space and designate a beginning and an end point, at least 20 paces apart. Let your arms hang loose, and clasp your hands lightly in front of you; direct your gaze slightly forward and down.
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As slowly as possible, start walking from your starting point to your end point. Each step should take 5 to 10 seconds to articulate. It will be hard to balance at first. As you walk, focus your attention on your footfalls. Once you reach your end point, turn around and return to the starting point. "Have patience with yourself," says Ann Pardo, a meditation instructor and the director of behavioral health at Canyon Ranch Health Resort, in Tucson. "If you have three steady footfalls, applaud yourself - this is difficult to master."
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Aim to walk-meditate for at least 20 minutes to give your brain time to slow down, says Pardo.
Ambient-Sound Meditation
This variation is particularly useful if you live in a noisy city, have children, or want to meditate at work. It involves embracing the sounds around you instead of trying to tune them out. "This is a good style for beginners," says Pardo, who has been practicing meditation for 20 years. "It's incredibly calming, and it gives you a sense of control over your environment."
How To:
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Sit comfortably on a cushion on the floor or in a chair. If you commute by train or bus, you can do this en route to and from the office.
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Close your eyes, relax your shoulders, breathe gently, and pay attention to the sounds around you: floorboards creaking, office mates chatting, a clock ticking, the hum of electricity, the rumble of the train. Listen to them so deeply that your body can "hear" the vibration deep inside, feeling the sounds viscerally, not emotionally. If thoughts come up, let them go and refocus on the sounds. "Instead of fighting the sound, just take it in," says Pardo.
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Sit like this for at least 15 minutes.
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