New Group Meditation every Tuesday, and Thursday from 12:10-12:30. Take a break in your day to experience the benefits of Meditation. See registration page for more information. Located in Yoga Studio 110 1/2 Washburne Av. Paynesville, MN 320-266-5476.
Next Stress Relief and Meditation class:November 27th, 2012 6:00-8:00;Join us to find out about the physical effects of stress on your body and then to practice ways of reducing the stress you cannot elliminate. We will experience breathing techniques, meditation, and guided imagery. More information on the Registration Forms page.
We live in a very stressful time. Many of us are faced with making changes in our jobs or locations and we are feeling the effects of stress in our physical bodies. When we are placed in a stressful environment whether it is because of physical stress, emotional or mental stress, environmental stress, or nutritional stress, the body reacts with what is know as the "Fight or Flight" response. When this happens a very real reaction occurs in the body which includes:
- more adrenaline being released into the bloodstream
- an increase in the heart rate
- the body releasing more sugar and fat into the bloodstream
- a tensing of the muscles
- a raise in blood pressure
- a slowing of digestion as the blood is diverted away from the digestive system
- a raise in cholesterol
- thickening of the blood making it more prone to clotting
- more cortisol being released into the bloodstream
Press play to enjoy the comforting sounds of Tami Briggs, a therapeutic harpist from the Twin Cities. To learn more about Tami, please visit http://www.musicalreflections.com. You can listen to other selections here as well. Just visit the home page and Healing Touch page.
These are all very necessary processes if we are faced with danger, which is what fight or flight was originally intended to prepare us for. If we needed to protect ourselves or if we were faced with a dangerous situation, this reaction would prepare us to deal with it. However, we can also see that these changes in our bodies are not ones that we would want to occur on a continuous basis. When we are faced with chronic stress this is what happens and we are held in a state of "Fight or Flight". This is when our physical health can be affected.
Meditation can be very effective as a means of handling stress. According to the book "Meditation as Medicine" by Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD:
"1. Meditation reduces blood lactate, which is a marker of stress and anxiety
2. Meditation increases the production of the calming hormones melatonin and seratonin; it decreases the level of cortisol, the stress hormone.
3. Meditation improves hearing, lowers blood pressure, and improves vision at close range.
4. Long-term meditators experience 80 percent less heart disease and 50 % less cancer than non-meditators.
5. Meditators secrete more of the youth-related hormone DHEA than nonmeditators.
6. After meditating 75 % of insomniacs sleep normally.
7. After establishing a meditation practice 34% of people suffering from chronic pain required significantly less medication."
In this class that I offer we discuss the physical effects of stress on the body, and then discuss ways to reduce the stress that we cannot avoid. We then experience several different types of mediation so that hopefully you can find one that will work for you. I have taught this class in a 2 hour and 4 hour format in workplace settings as well as for the general public. I use information I have gained from my education at Clayton College of Natural Health, and various stress reduction programs that I have completed through NESTA, and Mind Body Institute. I also call upon training in meditation that I received through my Instructor training for yoga, and my personal practice.
I do believe that in todays world Stress Reduction is not a luxury but a necessity if we wish to live healthy and happy lives.
