“Half an hour’s meditation each day is essential, except when you are busy. Then a full hour is needed.” – St. Francis de Sales
When was the last time you did nothing? No Internet or texting, watching television, reading, reminiscing about the past or planning for future events,” asked Andy Puddicombe, founder of Headspace app, in a TED talk. It’s so easy being distracted by everyday flotsam that we risk losing our grasp on the present moment. Coupled with stress, unrestrained emotions can run amok, leading to toxic patterns of behavior, destructive thoughts and suffering.
With its roots in Hinduism over three thousand years ago, the ancient practice of meditation trains the attention to develop greater voluntary control over our thought patterns. Breathing exercises focus on restoring our awareness to the present moment, encouraging deeper insight into behavior, greater mental wellbeing and a clearer perspective on life.
But you don’t have to be a purveyor of spirituality to harness the benefits. Scientists have discovered that regular mindfulness rewires neural pathways and reduces reactivity of the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for triggering anxiety and stress. Brain scans also reveal that meditators have a greater density of neurons in the area responsible for emotional control, enabling them to more easily manage stress.
Rhys Bonney, a British web developer, has almost reached the end of his eight-week meditation course at Aceptación Cuántica. “I feel a lot less anxious, I’m able to identify when my brain is running away with itself and don’t obsess so much over the future.” But this practice takes time and patience. “It took about three weeks of practicing for around twenty minutes daily to notice these benefits.” Another center, Nagarjuna Barcelona, offers an introduction to Buddhist meditation for just seven euros a session.
If you’re not sure about committing to a course, mobile apps such as Buddhify and Headspace offer guided meditations. Whether you see the New Year as an opportunity to put the last 365 days into perspective or you’d just like to refresh your outlook, mindfulness meditation might be what you need.
Nagarjuna Barcelona. C/ Rosselló 298, ppal. 2ª
<unk>Kufikiria kwa nusu saa kila siku ni muhimu, isipokuwa wakati unapokuwa na shughuli nyingi. "Kisha saa nzima inahitajika. "" - St. Francis de Sales ""Ni lini mara ya mwisho wewe alifanya kitu?" """Hakuna mtandao au kutuma ujumbe, kutazama televisheni, kusoma, kukumbuka juu ya zamani au kupanga matukio ya baadaye,"" aliuliza Andy Puddicombe, mwanzilishi wa programu ya Headspace, katika mazungumzo ya TED." Ni rahisi sana kusumbuliwa na mambo ya kila siku ambayo yanaweza kutufanya tupoteze ufahamu wetu wa wakati uliopo. Pamoja na mkazo, hisia zisizo na udhibiti zinaweza kuenea, na kusababisha tabia zenye sumu, mawazo yenye kuharibu, na mateso. Kwa kuwa mizizi yake ni katika dini ya Kihindu zaidi ya miaka elfu tatu iliyopita, mazoezi ya kale ya kutafakari hufundisha uangalifu ili kukuza udhibiti mkubwa wa hiari juu ya mifumo yetu ya mawazo. Mazoezi ya kupumua yanazingatia kurudisha ufahamu wetu kwa wakati wa sasa, kuhimiza ufahamu wa kina wa tabia, ustawi mkubwa wa akili na mtazamo wazi wa maisha. Lakini si lazima uwe mtoaji wa kiroho ili ufaidike. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni unaonyesha kwamba kufanya mazoezi ya akili mara kwa mara kunapunguza utendaji wa amygdala, sehemu ya ubongo inayohusika katika kuchochea wasiwasi na mkazo. Uchunguzi wa ubongo pia unaonyesha kwamba watu wanaofanya mazoezi ya kutafakari wana idadi kubwa zaidi ya chembe za neva katika sehemu inayohusika na kudhibiti hisia, na hivyo wanaweza kushughulikia mkazo kwa urahisi zaidi. Rhys Bonney, msanidi programu wa mtandao wa Uingereza, amefikia mwisho wa kozi yake ya kutafakari ya wiki nane katika Aceptación Cuántica. "Ninahisi wasiwasi kidogo, ninaweza kutambua wakati ubongo wangu unakimbia na yenyewe na si wasiwasi sana juu ya siku zijazo. "Lakini mazoezi haya yanahitaji muda na uvumilivu. "Ilichukua karibu wiki tatu za mazoezi kwa karibu dakika ishirini kila siku kugundua faida hizi. "" Kituo kingine, Nagarjuna Barcelona, inatoa utangulizi wa kutafakari Kibuddha kwa euro saba tu kwa kikao. """ Kama huna uhakika kuhusu kujitolea kwa kozi, programu za simu kama vile Buddhify na Headspace kutoa kuongozwa kutafakari. Kama unaona Mwaka Mpya kama fursa ya kuweka siku 365 za mwisho katika mtazamo au unataka tu kuburudisha mtazamo wako, kutafakari kwa uangalifu inaweza kuwa kile unachohitaji. Nagarjuna Barcelona. C. Rosselló 298, ppal. 2a