The Magic of Meditation

woman sitting looking at sunset in yoga pose

As a society we are beginning to declutter on a huge scale – our homes, our lives and now hopefully our heads! One of the best ways to do this is by meditation and pranayama.

Meditation has been shown to reduce stress and tension by switching off the sympathetic nervous system in place of the parasympathetic nervous system – responsible for rest and relaxation. It helps to promote physical health, boosts our brain cells and creates a feeling of Santosha or contentment. It also encourages us to increase breath control and expand breath capacity.

Did you also know that a regular meditation practice can also:

1: Slow the ageing processa Spanish study found that Zen meditators who have been practising for a number of years have longer telomeres than people of a similar age and lifestyle. Telomeres are structures at the end of chromosomes and help to keep our cells healthy.

2: Improve your memory– this is backed by many studies and a Neuro Scientist at Harvard Medical School in 2005 found that regular meditation led to an increase in cortical thickness in the brain.

3: Ease anxietyDr Sara Lazar has conducted research which shows that meditation reduces the size of the amygdala – that part of the brain responsible for fear and anxiety.

But how do we impart this amazing wisdom to ourselves and our students? How can we teach others to create and maintain a regular meditation practice?

This is why the IYTA’s David Burgess has put together a ground-breaking online course. This means it is easier than ever to study and implement a regular meditation practice – plus you’ll have the tools to teach others and run your own meditation circles.

As this course is online it’s affordable and flexible. You can study where and when it suits you and work at your own pace.

This course assumes no prior knowledge – so is suitable for all levels of experience and practices are built up progressively.

The first section focuses on breath control, breath expansion and sustained steadiness. Giving you a strong foundation from which to build your meditation practice.

After mastering the different breathing techniques, the focus shifts to meditation styles which include mantra, drishti, trataka and akasha.

Find out more about the Meditation and Pranayama course

 

We’d really love to hear your stories on practicing meditation and pranayama – please add your experiences and feedback in the comments below!