Meditation has been long referred to as an holistic approach to curing the ails of the body, and is still researched in depth by the science world on its true effects on the body and the brain. Holistic tradition coupled with conventional medicine will give your body and mind what it needs to be at it’s optimal level ; we know this well, being massage therapists. We dedicate our lives to the human body and in the ways we can heal it. There is undeniable evidence that the practice of mediation, along with massage therapy can relieve depression, anxiety, improve attention, concentration and offer overall psychological well-being.
Recently, a study from UCLA found that long-term meditators had better-preserved brains than non-meditators as they aged. Participants who’d been meditating for an average of 20 years had more grey matter volume throughout the brain — although older meditators still had some volume loss compared to younger meditators, it wasn’t as pronounced as the non-meditators (www.forbes.com).
Mindful meditation takes a matter of training. After all, you’re training your mind to be more aware of your surroundings. How many times a day do you stop and ask your 5 senses what is going on? Take a moment each day and ask yourself, what do you hear? Pick out all of the sounds and tune in to those most faint. Ask yourself what you see, not just in front of you, but the little details; what do you smell, what do you feel? Being this aware pauses your brain from wandering in and out of the past and the future. Mindfullness is an active training technique and anchors you to the right now. It also helps to keep the mind from going to dark places, or places you haven’t been yet, helping reduce anxiety and depression. Certainly, it’s not a magic elixir but for those who suffer daily, it can be a welcome reprieve.
So, how does one meditate? Who has that kind of time? Doesn’t it take hours? No, not exactly. You can meditate sitting at your desk or at anytime you have a moment of silence (the shower works well if you have kids in the house!) Take 3 minutes to quiet your mind. 
Imagine a light and keep your focus on that light. It may help to countdown 10-1 a few times and imagine those numbers as you do it to keep your focus on the task. Take this time to be thankful for something, or to monitor your senses (as mentioned above).Meditation practices will help you be more focused, and more relaxed, and works well with children who may have attention issues. Learning to properly meditate is a great stress reliever, and who doesn’t need that?
The relaxation you experience with massage will lead you to a more successful meditative practice. Set up your appointment with any of our massage specialists to explore the benefits of massage and learn more about the role essential oils can play as well. Give your body and mind the gift of meditation and massage!
