Meditation & Breathwork
how does meditation work?
Meditation is like exercise for your mind. It promotes neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, which is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization. It is the brain’s ability to rewire to function better than how it previously functioned. Meditating rewires the subconscious mind toward more positive thoughts and emotions, and in turn, can help release attachments to negative experiences. A consistent meditation practice changes the structure of the brain by strengthening the pre-frontal cortex and rebuilds mental musculature. It can help sharpen your attention skills and improve your working memory. Meditation also gives you space to process feelings and emotions. In one sense, it’s a form of quiet listening. We emit different brain waves during meditation, and therefore, we receive information at a deeper level than we do during normal consciousness. It trains your mind to be more resilient, happier, kinder, less reactive, and to make better decisions. It’s another mental habit to add to your problem-solving repertoire.
Stress, inflammation, and immune system
Meditation is also an effective way to reduce stress and cultivate inner peace. It puts the nervous system into the parasympathetic state, which is our body’s state of rest, healing, rebuilding, and processing. Meditation has been shown to decrease cytokines, which are the molecules in our bodies responsible for inflammation. It also lowers cortisol (stress hormone). Stress and inflammation tend to be the underlying cause of most illnesses, so a consistent meditation practice is key to, not only managing stress, but also preventing illness by maintaining a healthy mind and body. To that end, it’s proven to be an effective supplemental form of therapy in healing many diseases. It’s also been known to help with sleep disorders, anxiety, and cravings. Meditation starts in the mind, but your entire body reaps the benefits. Mindset is critical to staying healthy and reaching your goals. Training our minds to think more positively, lovingly and calmly is the greatest boost we can give to our immune system.
Requires discipline, practice, and consistency
Consistency is key! 5 to 10 minutes a day is better than 45 minutes 3 times a week. The effects of meditation are cumulative, just like physical exercise. You don’t notice results after one 30 minute session, but you do after several consecutive days. Meditating consistently physically alters the way our brains respond to stress and you become less, or even non-reactive and triggered throughout your day. I recommend meditating in the morning in order to better prepare yourself for the day ahead. The best form of meditation is the one that you will actually maintain! There are so many great apps and programs out there. Message me if you’d like some recommendations.
Perspective
Through a consistent meditation practice, you become more grounded, intuitive, self-aware, in touch with your emotions, and calm. It gives you space and perspective in all situations, so you’re able to calmly decide the best way to respond, rather than reacting, getting upset, or angry. You’re able to see all the different possibilities in any given situation, including stressful ones, and choose the best way forward. It trains you to be in complete control over your mindset, thoughts, and decisions. You are instructing your mind, not the other way around.
We create our experience in life based on how we choose to perceive every single situation. Therefore, our mindset is critical to optimizing our health and overall life, so it’s important to actively work to strengthen and improve it as much as possible. We choose our mindset. Taking a different mindset about the things that stress us out, acknowledging what we have the power to control and what we don’t, and not giving away our personal power to others through our reactions, are all major steps toward managing stress in a healthier way. Mindset is a collection of attitudes. It determines how you respond to challenges, express gratitude, manage your time, and take care of yourself. Meditation helps optimize all of this.
The greatest power we have is the power to change our mind
Breathwork
Breathwork is the practice of consciously directing your breath to achieve a certain mental or physical outcome. A breathwork practice can be used to improve energy, focus, relaxation, and resilience in real time. Most importantly, it is accessible any time you want. It’s another tool, similar to meditation, that allows you to be in control over your inner landscape and helps you dictate how you want to feel at all times.
Attentional breathwork - Use this to cultivate resilience, enhance cognition, and reduce stress.
Practice 10 minutes of mindfulness. Mindfulness just means paying attention on purpose, non-judgmentally. Close your eyes, breath slowly and deeply, and focus on your breath. When thoughts arise, notice them without judgement and bring your attention back to your breath. Let your breath be your anchor. Do a full body scan starting with your head and work your way down. Check in with each part of your body. Where can you release tension? Where are you holding stress or pain? Notice it and let it go. Keep taking long deep breaths. If feelings come up, acknowledge and honor them without judgment, and let them go.
Intentional breathwork – Use this to feel more relaxed or energized, depending on what you need in the moment.
Calming Breathing Exercise: to steady adrenaline and emotions. Use when:
You want to stay in control during a stressful situation
You wake up feeling anxious
You’re stuck in traffic
You’re running late for an appointment
You’re approaching a difficult conversation
You’re dealing with someone who’s angry
You had a rough day and want to let it go
How To Do It:
Short Inhale, Long Exhale
Slowly inhale from your diaphragm, through your nose, for a count of 4.
Pause at the top for a count of 2.
Slowly exhale, through your nose, for a count of 8.
Repeat
Energizing Breathing Exercise: to boost energy, productivity, and refocus. Use when:
You wake up feeling sluggish
You are about to give a speech or presentation
You want to be on point for a job interview
You need a boost of confidence walking into a room
You’re experiencing a late-afternoon energy crash
You’re working late
You’re craving coffee, soda, candy
How To Do It:
Long Inhale, Short Exhale
Take a strong, long inhale through your nose for a count of 6.
Exhale quickly for a count of 2. Let everything go all at once.
Repeat.
