Benefits and Techniques of Meditation

Along with books and other informational material, libraries offer numerous programs related to health and wellness. In today's fast-paced society, there is little time to focus on the health of your mind. Often, we are so worried about what we are putting into our mouths and bodies, we neglect the energies and thoughts that may be absorbed by our minds. The demanding boss who pressures you for results at the expense of your sanity, the driver who cuts you off on your way home from work, the person who is unnecessarily rude to you are just some examples that may affect your mood long after the incident has taken place. Unless you learn to deal with these situations positively, they will eventually weigh on you and change your behavior and attitude towards yourself and others.

It seems as if everyone is trying to find ways to bring inner peace, happiness, and self-acceptance into their lives. We are all looking for techniques to relieve stress and seeking a way out from under the weight that each of us is carrying on our shoulders. Everywhere you look, you see advertisements on how to reduce stress. There are so many different ways and techniques being thrown out at you, picking out a specific technique in itself is a major cause of stress. Let us look at one technique that has been helping people for thousands of years and is useful on many levels. Meditation is recognized as one of the ways to bring about peace within yourself as well as to minimize stress levels in your body by focusing on a sound, an object, your thoughts, or simply your breathing. It is a tool that is used to find stillness in yourself and to generate positivity in your mind. It not only helps calm your inner self but also helps you deal with external factors that influence your thoughts and emotions.

It is impossible to shut down your mind completely. Your brain is built to always be "on" and, in many cases, is running around in too many directions at once. One unconscious thought leads to another and then another until you end up with many incoherent ideas floating around your mind. For example, I may see a billboard for a restaurant and I think to myself, "I am so hungry. What should I eat? Maybe I should pick up something quick. I have so many things to do today. I have to go grocery shopping for dinner tonight. Tonight is the season finale of my favorite show. I can't miss that!" And just like that, before I can comprehend what is going on, my mind has gone from point A to point I do-not-even-know-where in a matter of seconds. Even while you sleep, the brain has spurts of heightened activity. Meditation is a way to guide your thoughts away from negativity and confusion in order to lead yourself onto the path of positivity and relaxation. It also teaches you to focus your thoughts, center yourself, and puts you in a better frame of mind so you are able to handle situations in a more effective manner.

Meditation instructor and member of the Hightstown library staff Leena specifically uses step by step physical relaxation, self-empowering affirmations and calming music in her programs in order to focus on the inner self. Being cognizant of all your thoughts at first and then being able to guide your mind towards calming and positive ideas will help to steer yourself away from negativity and confusion. She says it helps to find even one minute in every hour to consciously meditate and let go of negativity so it does not continue in the next hour....and every day so that the negativity does not continue to next day. Eventually, your mind becomes trained to deal with thoughts in a more positive way. Pat, a patron who regularly attends Guided Meditation sessions with Leena, says that she feels much more centered and is able to handle stressful situations better than before. She finds it difficult to meditate on her own at home and is grateful for the group sessions offered at the library. She is inspired to continue the practice daily because of the benefits she sees in her personal life.

For more information about meditation, check out the following books:

Meditation for Starters by J. Donald Walters

Meditation for Dummies

Reiki Meditation for Beginners by Lawrence Ellyard

Five Good Minutes in Your Body by Jeffrey Brantley, MD and Wendy Millstine, NC

Also check out the Mercer County Library website for Meditation Sessions offered at our amazing branches!

Lunchtime Meditation at the Hightstown Branch

Guided Meditation and Gentle Stretching at the Twin Rivers Branch

Heartful Meditation Workshop at the Hickory Corner Branch

Reiki Guided Meditation at the Hopewell Branch

—Kaneeze from the Hightstown Branch