I used to have all kinds of thoughts about the word “meditation”. I pictured myself sitting cross-legged and humming, with incense and strange music in the background – definitely not gonna happen! I’d heard that it helps with chronic illness, but it just didn’t make sense to me. I’ve since realized that there are many ways to meditate and that meditation is scientifically proven to be helpful with chronic illness. I set aside at least a few minutes a day for it, sometimes more, and I now really look forward to the relaxing benefits from my meditation time.
First, let’s look at what meditation is. It’s time to just be still and listen to what is going on inside of yourself. That means turn off the phone or the computer, find a quiet place, and set aside (mentally and emotionally) all the items on your to-do list. This was difficult for me at first. I thrived on stress – it kept me going in order to get things done. And, the more I kept moving, the less I had to face those thoughts that I didn’t want to face. I had thoughts of discouragement about my health, fears about what the future would hold, and guilty that I couldn’t keep up with everyone else. Meditation is finding a quiet place to get comfortable (a chair or lying in bed is fine, or even walking in a quiet place; whatever works for you), closing your eyes, and taking a few deep breaths. What comes to mind? If it’s more of your to-do list, just set that aside for a few minutes. Perhaps it’s sadness, or fear, or gratitude. There is no right or wrong answer. Just listen to what thoughts and feelings are going through your mind. There are many kinds of meditation, but this is the basic premise of all types. All major religions have some form of meditation, but meditation itself is not a religious practice. Some people prefer “guided” meditations where a person guides your breathing and your thoughts. This might be useful for starting out to help keep you focused.
How can meditation be helpful for chronic illness? We all know that our body and our mind are connected. When there is something wrong with our body, it communicates to our mind via pain or fatigue or some other symptom so that we know the body needs our attention. The mind also communicates with the body. When our mind is stressed, overworked, or not dealing with difficult emotions, the mind causes the production of certain chemicals that affect our body. The body, unable to distinguish the difference between the stress of being late for work verses being chased by a hungry lion, now focuses all its energy on the muscular and cardiovascular system to be able to run to safety. This is often referred to as the “fight or flight” state which routes energy and resources towards our short term survival. Not only do these chemicals cause damage when they are present for an extended amount of time, but the body’s resources are no longer available for the long-term health processes like digestion, immune support, or detoxification, so chronic stress can negatively affect these body systems. When we can slow down and adequately deal with our stress, the body is better able to cope with the long-term needs of chronic illness. Meditation has been shown to reduce pain, speed healing, and improve cognitive function. It’s a very effective way that we can reduce the stress of day-to-day life in our fast-paced culture hence improving many chronic illness symptoms. I’ll be posting additional information that will discuss more of the specifics in later blog posts.
If you would like to try guided meditation, I would love to send you a free guided meditation that you can download and listen to. This meditation focuses on relaxation and slow, regular breathing.
Have you tried meditation? What was your experience? I’d love to hear about it.
