Meditation and Mindfulness

Meditation is an ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years, in different forms and cultures. However, it is still highly relevant and useful today, as it has been shown to have benefits for our brain, our mental health, and our overall wellbeing.

Meditation aims to clear or focus our minds, using a combination of techniques. This includes guided meditations, physical techniques such as body scanning or gentle movement, or using a mantra. There is no ‘right’ way to meditate, but one thing that all techniques utilize is the power of mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the simple act of recognizing what’s going on inside of ourselves and what’s going on around us, in the present moment. It is a tool that helps us observe our thoughts and emotions without judgement, immersing ourselves in whatever comes up for us in that moment.

Cultivating mindfulness in our day-to-day experiences can have many benefits for our wellbeing:

      I.         Mindfulness& Stress

When our body is in a chronic state of stress, over time we can see negative health effects such as an impaired immune system, high blood pressure or heightened anxiety. Many studies have shown that mindfulness can help to manage or reduce stress. Present moment awareness can increase our ability to adapt and deal with daily stressors. By lowering the stress response, mindfulness can produce positive downstream effects throughout the body.  

     II.         Mindfulness& Mental Wellbeing

Mindfulness increases our awareness of what is happening in our mind and body, in the present moment. Through attention and curiosity, it helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings. Instead of being overwhelmed by strong feelings, we can develop the skill of recognizing and labelling our emotions. This sense of perspective allows us to be more able to experience and process emotions in a healthy way.

   III.         Mindfulness& Eating

Practicing mindfulness while eating helps us to bring our full attention to the experience, including tastes, textures, satisfaction levels and physical cues. By eating slowly and without distraction, we can begin to listen to our body’s hunger and fullness cues. Learning to recognize when we are physically full can help us to adequately nourish our body, without over or under eating.