1-10 Simplify
There are countless forms of the ancient mind-body practice, also known as mindfulness, which is thousands of years old. For example, in transcendental meditation, or TM, you rest quietly with your eyes closed and repeat a mantra--a single word or phrase with some particular meaning, like peace , om, or shalom --for 20 minutes at a time, while the breath method involves focusing on inhaling and exhaling deeply through the nose. In body-awareness meditation, you concentrate on breathing as you direct attention to each part of your frame, from the toes on up to the hair. A movement practice combines breath and easy, flowing motions, like swaying or dancing. You can meditate for five minutes or 50, while sitting still or walking, with your eyes open or shut.
Meditation is just one of several techniques that elicit similar health benefits, says Herbert Benson, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and president of the Mind/Body Medical Institute in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Whether it's yoga, tai chi, qi gong, or even repetitive prayer, the basic science is the same: Stress brings forth a "fight or flight" reaction in the body, releasing epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream; these hormones increase blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension and can lead to the aforementioned medical problems.
"There are no drugs or surgeries which can counteract the harmful effects of stress, but fortunately we have within ourselves an opposite reaction--'the relaxation response,' " says Benson, who coined the term back in 1975 and has been studying the subject ever since. Though the exact brain mechanisms involved are still being researched, it is clear that with daily practice over time, the body builds resistance to stress, and related symptoms diminish.
Needless to say, I am not alone in my quest for inner peace. According to a survey on complementary and alternative medicine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 percent of adults in the United States now practice meditation, which comes in many different forms and styles, and an additional 12 percent utilize deep breathing exercises; 5 percent are committed to yoga. For individuals like Linda Felner, the results can be life altering. After the 62-year-old was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2002, she had surgery and chemotherapy and went into remission, but she still suffered from debilitating nerve pain in her arms and legs as well as exhaustion and depression. Felner, who lives in the New York area, sought out Sloan-Kettering's Integrative Medicine Service--and meditation, qi gong, and acupuncture. "I see meditation as a tool that's there for me to draw upon whenever I want or need to," she adds, noting that she's never felt better, physically or mentally.
Guru guidance. Though meditation can be an inexpensive and effective way to counter such stresses, it can be challenging to get started--and to stick with it. After my initial debacle, I contact Lorin Roche, author of Meditation Made Easy, who has been teaching the practice in Los Angeles for more than 30 years. The first advice he offers is to forget about monklike focus and embrace my "monkey mind" --an apt term if ever there was one. "Everyone thinks they are bad at meditation--that they're not disciplined enough, that they can't make their mind blank--but it is an innate human skill," he promises. Through a series of sessions via speakerphone and his Meditation 24/7 CD, Roche introduces me to the "fill your cup" exercise, which has me reflecting over my coffee every morning for five minutes, savoring each sip and concentrating on "drinking in" the qualities I'll need to get through the day, like strength or endurance. I pause again in the late afternoon to lie down, rest my eyes, and concentrate on slowly inhaling and exhaling for 10 to 15 minutes, envisioning a favorite spot overlooking the beach; when the dread of what to cook for dinner hits me, I allow myself to briefly mull over chicken kabobs versus stuffed peppers and then try to return to the image of blue surf, even if it takes a while.
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