Greg Sawyer, D. C.
Meditation is one of the techniques for eliciting the relaxation response. It is natural and familiar process of focusing our mind on an object or activity. We turn the attention inward, concentrating on a repetitive focus such as breathing or a word or a prayer. Our mind and body begin to calm down in the state of physiological and mental rest. During the process there are general guidelines that should be known and followed: 2 basic components are involved: 1/ A passive attitude towards distracting thoughts and 2/ A mental focusing device, such as watching once breath, while repeating a word or phrase, using repetitive muscular activity to help shift once mind away of daily thoughts or worries.
Step 1: Pick your word or phrase (prayer)
Step 2: Sit quietly in a comfortable position
Step 3: Close your eyes
Step 4: Relax your muscles
Step 5: Breath slowly and naturally while repeating your selected focus word or phrase, as you exhale.
Step 6: Assume a positive attitude. When other thoughts intrude, simply say “ Oh well” and return to the repetition
Step 7: Continue for 10-20 minutes
Step 8: Practice the technique once or twice daily.
Step 1: Pick your word or phrase (prayer)
Step 2: Sit quietly in a comfortable position
Step 3: Close your eyes
Step 4: Relax your muscles
Step 5: Breath slowly and naturally while repeating your selected focus word or phrase, as you exhale.
Step 6: Assume a positive attitude. When other thoughts intrude, simply say “ Oh well” and return to the repetition
Step 7: Continue for 10-20 minutes
Step 8: Practice the technique once or twice daily.
Basic guidelines:
Choosing a word or a phrase: One can select a focus word, corresponding to his belief system or the so called “faith factor”.What next: the world or phrase should be repeated silently to ourselves, coordinating it with our breathing. If other thoughts will intrude, one should still stay at his level of breathing, repeating his word or phrase, and focusing his thoughts
When? We should select a regular time for our meditation( before breakfast) as usual and to develop a routine.
Where? In a quiet place, where nobody can be disturbed by a telephone or by people coming in and out. That place should be safe and cozy.
Position: Any comfortable position is appropriate
How long? 10 – 20 minutes once or twice a day but it should be done daily and faithfully
How to focus? Our breathing should correlate with our focus of thoughts. Despite difficult at first it is matter of training and repetition till will become a second nature.
Type of breathing: diaphragmatic breathing is the key of a good meditation in the state of gentle relaxation.
Affirmation is a positive thought, a short phrase or saying that has meaning for you. It can be the phrase: “ One day at a time” something more specific like “ I accept myself as I am”, “ I am lovable”, “ I am becoming healthy and strong” , “ Let it be”, “ I am doing the best I can”. Using affirmation is an effective tool for reframing negative self-talk into a positive message, thus reducing the stress from undermining thoughts and beliefs. In a short time they become a second nature.
Guidelines to create affirmations.
1/ Select un aspect of your life that is causing your stress.
2/ Decide what you want to have happen or how you world like to feel in a situation.
3/ Articulate this goal as a first-person statement- “ I am confident in my work”
4/ Always state affirmations in present tense.
5/ Always phrase affirmations in the positive.
6/ Repeat the affirmations to yourself and notice how it feels.
7/ Repeat your affirmations often during the day, perhaps before or after eliciting the relaxation response, or as a part of a breathing exercise.
There are 2 basic ways of breathing- diaphragmatic (abdominal) and chest (thoracic) breathing. Normally breathing is the combination of the two.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Breathing provides oxygen to the blood stream and thereby to the entire cellular structure of the body. A healthy balance of oxygen (in-breath) and carbon dioxide (out-breath) is central to physical health. The diaphragm is a sheet-like muscle that separates the abdominal and chest cavities. When you inhale, the diaphragm lowers and expands the abdomen. Expanding the abdomen when you inhale drops the diaphragm and expands the size of the chest cavity. This increases the space that the lungs can expand into and increases the amount of air and oxygen that is inhaled. As we age, however, most of us start breathing shallower and use the upper parts of our chest. Whereas breathing from the chest delivers approximately a teacup of air to the lungs (about 500 ml), breathing from the abdomen delivers 4-6 liters of air to the lungs. Abdominal breathing can significantly increase the amount of air we take into the lungs and this makes a huge difference in the oxygenation of tissues throughout the body. How we breathe also has an impact on our nervous system.
Chest breathing stimulates the shorter, more restless “beta waves in the brain while abdominal breathing stimulate the longer, slower “ alpha” waves associated with relaxation and calmness. For this reason abdominal breathing is often helpful in eliciting relaxation and protecting the body from harmful effects of stress, it calms our mind and therefore is very useful when we need a quick calming effect.
If you would like to learn more on the above topic, please call and require a personal consultation: (715) 392-7591; (218) 213-6167; or (218) 213-7087
Choosing a word or a phrase: One can select a focus word, corresponding to his belief system or the so called “faith factor”.What next: the world or phrase should be repeated silently to ourselves, coordinating it with our breathing. If other thoughts will intrude, one should still stay at his level of breathing, repeating his word or phrase, and focusing his thoughts
When? We should select a regular time for our meditation( before breakfast) as usual and to develop a routine.
Where? In a quiet place, where nobody can be disturbed by a telephone or by people coming in and out. That place should be safe and cozy.
Position: Any comfortable position is appropriate
How long? 10 – 20 minutes once or twice a day but it should be done daily and faithfully
How to focus? Our breathing should correlate with our focus of thoughts. Despite difficult at first it is matter of training and repetition till will become a second nature.
Type of breathing: diaphragmatic breathing is the key of a good meditation in the state of gentle relaxation.
Affirmation is a positive thought, a short phrase or saying that has meaning for you. It can be the phrase: “ One day at a time” something more specific like “ I accept myself as I am”, “ I am lovable”, “ I am becoming healthy and strong” , “ Let it be”, “ I am doing the best I can”. Using affirmation is an effective tool for reframing negative self-talk into a positive message, thus reducing the stress from undermining thoughts and beliefs. In a short time they become a second nature.
Guidelines to create affirmations.
1/ Select un aspect of your life that is causing your stress.
2/ Decide what you want to have happen or how you world like to feel in a situation.
3/ Articulate this goal as a first-person statement- “ I am confident in my work”
4/ Always state affirmations in present tense.
5/ Always phrase affirmations in the positive.
6/ Repeat the affirmations to yourself and notice how it feels.
7/ Repeat your affirmations often during the day, perhaps before or after eliciting the relaxation response, or as a part of a breathing exercise.
There are 2 basic ways of breathing- diaphragmatic (abdominal) and chest (thoracic) breathing. Normally breathing is the combination of the two.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Breathing provides oxygen to the blood stream and thereby to the entire cellular structure of the body. A healthy balance of oxygen (in-breath) and carbon dioxide (out-breath) is central to physical health. The diaphragm is a sheet-like muscle that separates the abdominal and chest cavities. When you inhale, the diaphragm lowers and expands the abdomen. Expanding the abdomen when you inhale drops the diaphragm and expands the size of the chest cavity. This increases the space that the lungs can expand into and increases the amount of air and oxygen that is inhaled. As we age, however, most of us start breathing shallower and use the upper parts of our chest. Whereas breathing from the chest delivers approximately a teacup of air to the lungs (about 500 ml), breathing from the abdomen delivers 4-6 liters of air to the lungs. Abdominal breathing can significantly increase the amount of air we take into the lungs and this makes a huge difference in the oxygenation of tissues throughout the body. How we breathe also has an impact on our nervous system.
Chest breathing stimulates the shorter, more restless “beta waves in the brain while abdominal breathing stimulate the longer, slower “ alpha” waves associated with relaxation and calmness. For this reason abdominal breathing is often helpful in eliciting relaxation and protecting the body from harmful effects of stress, it calms our mind and therefore is very useful when we need a quick calming effect.
If you would like to learn more on the above topic, please call and require a personal consultation: (715) 392-7591; (218) 213-6167; or (218) 213-7087
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
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