Getting better – another free way. Meditation

Have you wanted to calm your mind?
Soothe your nervous system?
Improve your immune system?
And all for free, then try meditation.

I never realized how important meditation and visualization was going to be in my recovery until I started doing research into ME and low thyroid.
Things that hit me consistently were that I needed to learn to relax, de-stress and visualize better health. By doing this I was allowing my body the opportunity to heal.
I’d never tried meditation and thought it was hard to do.

My beach when I visualise my perfect place

Now for the science bit!

I keep talking about our bodies and brains being electrical. We all know that electricity pulses at different speeds and so does our brain depending  on what you are doing, wide awake, asleep or in between.

These brain electrical patterns have names.                    brain wave cycles per second
Delta                Deep sleep                                                                                         0-4
Theta              Deeper sleep or meditation                                                      4 – 7
Alpha              Light sleep, meditation, gut feelings                                     7 – 14
Beta                Awake and using your 5 senses                                               14 and higher.

Most of us, most of the time, only use the Delta and Beta wave patterns. Yet if we have a brain that is more powerful than any known computer maybe we are missing a trick or two by not tapping into Theta and Alpha waves. During meditation you can use your brain to visualize and change your thought patterns and help you regain better health.

Meditation helps develop your concentration, helps you focus on the positive and clears the mind of useless daily ‘buzz’ and clutter.

I thought meditation was hard.
‘How do I clear my head when there is so much going on in it’
That’s exactly the point, our brain is designed to be active and not stay still or focused. Even when we sleep, our brain is working to maintain our body systems and keep us breathing – how good is that?

I found it best to try guided meditations and also to try lying on my bed and just concentrating on my breath in and breath out.
When practicing breath in and breath out start by

•      sitting comfortably in an upright chair with a straight back or lying down
•      telling yourself that you will stay awake
•       that you will remain alert at all times
•      that should you need to be disturbed, that you will awaken easily and refreshed
•      this time is for you to rest and relax
•      then just start breathing and concentrating on your natural breath as it flows into and
  out of your body and appreciate the wonderful gift of breath. Do not force your
  breath, just allow the natural flow.
•     when you are ready to come out of the relaxation just start to tell your body that you
  are ready to move by starting to wiggle your fingers, toes, then gently shake and stretch
  your arms and legs.
• when you are ready, sit up slowly and allow your body to rebalance for a moment or two.

If you are not sure about doing the breathing exercise at first then check out You Tube. I searched on ‘you tube guided meditations’ and found lots. Here are two of the ones I like just to get you started and then you can choose your own.

Guided Meditation – Deep Relaxation

Kelly Howell – Healing Meditation Guided

or if you like CD’s then I like Yoga Nidra, there is a huge selection on Amazon. I was blessed to be loaned a copy of these and have since bought them and use them daily.

Researching and sharing so that you can recover you too

   Recovering Me
   info@recoveringme.co.uk
  Call 03302200112 (local UK call rate)