Introduction
Meditation has existed over very many years, for the practice makes an individual feel relaxed and good. I have used meditation to help me recover from a very serious illness and stress due to my condition. One year ago, I was diagnosed with stage three cancer. Through meditation, I was able to feel relieved and learned how to cope with my condition. I would love to share my experiences with meditation and how it has benefited me. The first time I consciously meditated in a yoga class, I found the instructor taking the class through Bikram yoga. Bikram yoga is mediation involving a set of postures and breathing. One of the unique features is that it is performed in a room heated to a high temperature. At this time, I did not take meditation very seriously. However, when I began going to the classes as part of my recovery process, I noticed how calm and happy I felt after leaving the class. I started practicing yoga at home, and not long enough, I realized the positive changes in my life and how I related with my friends. Meditation and yoga enabled my mind to develop a sense of peace and happiness, and it transformed my attitude toward life in general.
Main body
Most people view meditation as a new age for them and choose not to practice it. In my opinion, I can admit I was very reluctant at first. Meditation helps us achieve a proper understanding of our life. We can practice meditation in many ways, in silence, through music, and through guided meditation. An essential factor is practicing it in the best way that works for an individual. We can meditate anywhere; the first step is to get started. My favorite time for meditation is in the morning, but I often meditate during different times of the day. I have also significantly benefited from meditation in many ways. Emotionally, I feel very happy and strongly agree that meditation makes one feel excited. Moreover, it improved my mood and overall sense of contentment. During meditation, our oxygen consumption level is lowered while energy and strength are increased. Chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin are released; studies have shown that these chemicals increase the capacity for happiness and positivity. Additionally, my stress levels dropped down as a result of meditation.
Meditating gives room for stillness and also calms the mind. The jumbled-up thoughts contributing to stress are eliminated, leading to much-improved concentration. Repeating a mantra and concentrating on that phrase has enabled me to shift my mind from distracting thoughts such as my health condition. I had also been able to concentrate on the present, making my anxiety levels drop. The thought of fear has been eliminated through my daily meditation. I view the world beyond death, and I am assured that the soul lives on. I am now aware that death is a transition from one state of existence to another, thus, eliminating the fear. This has brought so much inner peace, and I can face the challenges of life with wisdom and strength. I have also managed to have a clear thoughts as a result of meditation. In situation where I am faced with a difficult situation, I often put it on one side, meditate upon it, and come back with a clear thought or idea that I previously did not have. I make good decisions that come from a clear depth of reasoning if I do things calmly.
Physically, meditation has also enabled me to control my pain. Meditation has enabled me to cope with the pain, especially during and after my chemotherapy sessions. Meditation has also enabled my body to be more relaxed. I have experienced more rest in meditation than in the time I spent during sleep and relaxation. Similarly, the quality of sleep was improved; hence, the relaxation response triggers psychological triggers such as lowered heart rate and increased melatonin, leading to sleep. Spiritually, I have also experienced inner and outer peace through yoga. Due to meditation, I have radiated so much love and peace to my friends. I have learned how to cope with my chronic disease and, in the process, healed through the alchemy of God’s love. In attaining inner peace, I have contributed to the realization of outer peace, too. I am more open to change, and possibilities never like before. I am also aware of my habits and mastered how to change negative thoughts to positive ones from books, which can easily trigger my subconscious mind to come to the surface. Past beliefs that limited me, such as preconceived thoughts about right and wrong, have faded since I began meditating.
One of the obstacles that I encountered was the inability to hold on during the yoga poses; I was unable to get into the posture, keep control over my body’s strength, and access the needed flexibility in my limbs. As a result, I fell off and felt ashamed and frustrated. I have dealt with this situation by accepting that there will always be somebody better who is willing to teach me how to develop my posing skills, and I stopped comparing myself to other people. Dullness was another challenge I had to cope with. My condition made me dull, especially after the chemotherapy session. I also lacked motivation and, most of the time, lost concentration during the session. However, I overcame this by breathing slowly as it increased the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, making my body’s pH less alkaline. It led to changing the pH level in the blood and calming down the part systematic nervous system, calming the heart rate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yoga and meditation have completely changed my view of life, given the immense changes I’ve undergone. The inability to maintain the achieved progress is a challenge I experienced. I mastered a pose, but then after a particular pose, I forgot it. However, I overcame this obstacle by consistently practicing the particular pose for a long time by focusing on it versus combining different poses. I felt very discouraged at the beginning of the yoga sessions and thought of giving up several times. I nevertheless decided to practice every morning consistently, and within no time, I mastered the art. As for inattentiveness, I minimized all the distractions around me; I tried to mute all unnecessary noises. Meditation has proven to be long-term and a sufficient method for maintaining a healthy understanding of self. My relationship with colleagues has greatly improved as I have learned how to communicate better and pay attention.