Meditation, an exercise recommended for everyone, but especially
those of us with hectic, stressful lifestyles, is defined as an
engagement in contemplation, especially of a spiritual or
devotional nature. Meditation has been shown to relieve stress,
and promote overall good health, by simply reflecting upon our
day, and finding happiness within ourselves. This and other mind
exercises help us to keep our mind fit, and functioning at top
performance levels
Our spirituality and meditation practices are the tools we have
available to keep our mind as fit as we keep our bodies. The
mind is a complicated and versatile machine, but it can become
overwhelmed and unable to function correctly, if we don't take
the time to keep it cared for.
Our mind has varying levels of operation, known as brainwaves.
As we pass through the different stages of our day, we enter
various stages of brain wave activity. The brain uses this tool
as one way to allow us time to rest our busy mind, and cope with
all the pieces of information we've received, a way to kind of
"mind file" for the day. When we don't give adequate time for
these processes, or we simply don't get enough rest, our mind
cannot maintain its state of fitness, just like our bodies
aren't capable of fitness if there is no chance to rest and
replenish.
Modern alternative medicine and holistic healers believe in the
power of the energy that flows through our bodies; this energy
radiates from our mind as well. It is believed to be the chief
from of transportation for our body's nervous system to carry
out communication.
Breathing techniques, music, aromas, and candle therapy are all
ways we utilize the opportunities to reflect on our day, allow
our mind to rest and replenish itself for further use. But are
these methods keeping us mentally fit? Yes, but they don't work
alone. The absorption of new information, new opportunities to
learn, and creative play provide our mind the stimulus it needs
in order to stay fit and functioning.
The onset of many age-related mental disorders occurs because
we haven't taken the time to keep our mind youthful, and
involved in new learning. Learning new things forces our mind to
form new neural pathways. We need those neural pathways for the
transmission of information from the body to the mind, or with
our ability to form new memories. If we don't exercise the mind,
we lose the fitness.
We must remember over the course of our daily routine, to make
time to maintain mental fitness, as we strive to maintain
physical fitness. The nice thing about the whole process is
that, as we go about accomplishing these tasks, quite often the
opportunities for preservation and care are interchangeable. We
can help to quite our mind as we take our twenty minute walk. Or
we have the opportunity to build muscle strength as we meditate.
Often just the opportunity to listen to music will allow our
mind the chance it needs to relax and regroup. It's not always
the most formal of occasions that we find an available chance to
reflect and listen to that inner voice. It can be in the middle
of the day, with the wind blowing through your hair, and the
radio turned up really loud!
About the author:
Tony Robinson is a CEO and Webmaster. He has a young family and
a keen interest in health and fitness. Visit his site at
http://www.be-well-and-fit.com
