If we want to beautify from the inside out, there’s a ton we can do … eat naturally low fat foods, drinks tons of water, get lots of sleep but the key is to calming the mind. One of the most difficult tasks is sitting still – no telly, no Iphone, no trashy magazines or other much needed daily distractions – just you and your thoughts. Ah ha... it’s those thoughts that keep racing right? Well, the heart of finding beauty within is to take time out of your day to observe your mind, shut off your thoughts, take in conscious breaths and be still – otherwise known as meditation.
Meditation… sounds all a bit daunting? I know what you’re thinking… “not for me”, “don’t have enough time”, “got kids – no can do”, “impossible!” Stop right there… meditation can be simple, as long as you understand it and you learn about what works for you.
Researchers say that meditation helps you lower blood pressure and some medical theorists even claim that you’re 49% less likely to die from Cancer and 30% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
The basic idea is that when you meditate, your body produces “alpha-waves” which help aid in creating calm and heightened awareness and then there’s “theta waves” to promote wellbeing. Plus, there’s the added bonus of alleviating chronic pain, boosting your immune system and increasing your brain function – sounds better than falling in love!
The many different meditation practices have wonderful benefits and so many different techniques which all have the same result. It’s definitely an art that needs some practice and a bit of discipline, but overall it can be very simple.
My suggestion is to find some simple ways to meditate and learn from the best. There’s a ton of different methods - yet, I can only speak for transcendental meditation that I’ve practiced for many years. It’s based on the simple premise of keeping your eyes closed in silence, whilst repeating a word (or mantra) over and over in your mind. You only need about 20 minutes each day. No worries… passersby on the bus or at home will just think you’re taking a much-needed snooze, but rest assured you are actually releasing stress and exhaustion in a natural way. You’re quieting your mind and calming your nerves.
London’s got some of the most interesting places to learn meditation techniques. Try: Transcendental Meditation Centre London - www.tmmeditationlondon.org.uk or the London Meditation Centre - www.londonmeditationcentre.com - where you can learn about Vedic Meditation. They offer a free introductory meeting where you can learn about the benefits and how it works. From there, you can sign up for the basic meditation course offered over four consecutive days and each lasting about two hours.
My personal favourite mediation guru is Italian born, Notting Hill based - Daniel Boido. He’s a 20-year practitioner of many forms of meditation. Recently, he’s even developed his own style of meditation that combines hypnosis and deep relaxation techniques. It’s life transforming! Drop him an email at danbnow@live.co.uk.
And just think… no frown lines!
