Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Meditation

Kamakura, Japan

Over time, stress builds on itself until we have layer upon layer of unresolved issues. It causes us to lose perspective and view the world as our enemy. We are often not even aware it. It can kill us and, at the very least, causes nervousness, anger, frustration and unhappiness.

The quickest way to relieve stress is through meditation. It is quicker than any other activity, including exercise, being in nature, talking to a psychiatrist, etc. Of course, meditation is not an activity. It is the opposite of activity. It is stillness. It is being. Thirty minutes of meditation can release a lifetime of stress. If we incorporate a daily practice into our lives, everything will be better. We will be relaxed, think clearly, and always keep things in perspective. People will react differently to us, as we react differently to them. We will see the beauty in simple, every day things. We will treat our loved ones and ourselves better.

Study after study has proven that meditation has an enormous beneficial effect on our health and well-being. How do we meditate? It is easy, but not simple. It is like a muscle. The more we exercise it, the better it is. We can sit with our back stright and bring our attention to our breathing. As our mind wanders and we are distracted, we gently bring our attention back to our breathing, without judgment of any kind.

Let's have the discipline and the courage to be still in meditation.

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