Do you want happier life, less stress, glowing skin, better sleep and better overall health? Then you need to meditate! If you’re unfamiliar, simply put it is the process of training the mind to redirect thoughts to a still and present space. This is done to find inner peace or achieve a level of “Zen”. The popularity of meditation is on the rise, as more and more people are discovering the amazing and powerful benefits of it. It can help to reduce stress, increase concentration and productivity and even lead to healthier sleeping patterns, just to name a few. The benefits it touts are a wide range of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, and the claims aren’t empty. In fact, there are thousands upon thousands of studies backing up them up.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Reduces stress
Reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety is probably the most widely accepted and documented benefit. This is because aside from being relaxing, meditation literally induces changes within the brain, improving cognitive abilities and emotional regulation (1).
Enhances self-awareness
Looking back on the past or towards the future isn’t necessarily bad. However, too often we get caught up in these thoughts and forget to live in the now. Meditation teaches us to do just that, by becoming more aware of and learning to control our thinking (2).
Strengthens creativity
According to several studies, meditation can even increase creativity. This makes sense, as our heads can become too distracted to find inspiration. By calming and clearing the mind, we can remove that mental chatter and find inspiration and vision in new ways (3).
Improves sleep
Sleep is life, right? And it isn’t just about being pleasurable; it actually plays a very critical role in hormone production, metabolism, learning and other so many other vital functions. Meditation before bed can lead to a more sound and longer slumber, as it relaxes the nervous system, allowing us to slow down (4).
Boosts overall health
Aside from all of the many mental benefits it provides, meditation can also support physical ones as well. Specifically, it has been shown to increase immune function and decrease pain and inflammation (5).
Encourages long-term happiness
There’s a reason for all of the smiling and laughing Buddha statues! Meditation aims to bring things into perspective and teaches the ability to let things go. This skill can help us to become happier and more pleasant individuals. Just ask my husband ; ) (6).
Now that we’ve discussed all of the reasons to take up meditation, lets talk about how to do so. Dating back thousands of years, it has evolved into a structured practice of many different forms. So what’s the best kind? It’s like working out. The best kind is the one that you actually want to do and enjoy and will do most often. It’s important to find one that suits your personality and your goals. For example, if you find it difficult to sit silently, then you may benefit more from a guided group exercise. Even once you make the decision between a solo or class setting there are a variety of techniques that can be used. Here are some of the most popular:
Mindfulness meditation
This is the most straightforward and most popular type of meditation. It’s practiced with the eyes closed and without tools.
Candle meditation
This is a type of meditation that is practiced with the eyes open. It involves focusing all attention to a burning candle flame.
Guided imagery meditation
This type of meditation is typically guided and uses visualizations that are meant to lead to specific outcomes (stress relief, personal development, etc.). This is by far my favorite!
Breathing meditation
This is another great type of meditation for beginners. It’ practiced without tools and involves focusing on deep breaths. I practice this one throughout the day when I feel stressed or get overwhelmed by my boys mess and craziness ; )
Crystal meditation
This type of meditation is often done with Rose Quartz. A stone or tool, such as a Gua Sha or roller, is used to stimulate and vitalize the body and mind. I combine crystal mediation with guided meditation by holding our butterfly gua sha between my palms while I meditate.
Now where to begin? You can get started by introducing the practice of meditation into your routine slowly. Find a quiet space, turn on some relaxing music and diffuse your favorite oil and just focus on your breath and slowly quiet your mind. Even just a few short minutes each day can be remarkable for health. There's no right or wrong way to meditate, as really anything you do to be more mindful and connect to your inner self will be beneficial. Short on time? Try incorporating some of the techniques when you’re in line at the grocery store, while stuck in traffic or doing dishes at home. Don’t get caught up in the “how to” too much. Just do. If needed, consider finding a community for support and motivation. You can even look to several apps to help guide you when you first get started. Some of our favorites are Headspace, Unplug and Calm. And of course, like everything else, YouTube and podcasts can also serve as great resources.
With how advantageous it can be to so many different aspects of the mind and body, we don’t need to keep reiterating how big of a role meditation can play in overall wellness. It really is a remarkable habit to form. And apart from all of the benefits already discussed, it can also promote a radiant and glowing complexion (and you know we love that). This is because the practice lowers the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol levels are high collagen begins to break down, which wreaks havoc on our skin cells. So by cutting down stress through meditation you can reduce breakout triggers, slow down signs of aging and retain youthfulness. This can be especially true should you choose to take on crystal meditation. Of course here at Papillon it’s our favorite technique, along with our amazing Rose Quartz tools.
Rose Quartz is very powerful and often associated with all matters of the heart including self-love, forgiveness and compassion. Its purpose is to align you with what makes you most happy, and its positive energy is the perfect addition to any self-care routine or meditation session. Both our Rose Quartz Face Roller and Rose Quartz Butterfly Gua Sha can be used to relax tense facial muscles and stimulate circulation, all while having a very cooling and calming effect on the skin and mind. Shop our line to get the skin of your dreams and all of the essentials needed to get you started on crystal meditation.
References:
3.)http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00116/full
4.)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26390335
5.)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453008002199