Meditation is a great way to manage and reduce stress. It is widely known to have positive effect on the human body physically, emotionally and psychologically. Meditation produces a state of relaxation that benefits the heart, the brain, the lungs and blood. It is even known to reduce the lactate level in the blood which is directly related to feelings of anxiety, tension and fatigue. The emotional and psychological improvements include an increase in mental alertness, feeling more alive, healthier, happier, and a general sense of well being.

There are many types of mediation techniques that can be employed. The easiest technique is to sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, connect your tongue to your palette and start abdominal breathing. With abdominal breathing you expand your abdomen slightly when breathing in and contract your abdomen slightly when breathing out.

While breathing, try to achieve single mindedness by emptying your mind or just focusing on one thing only. There is a common saying in martial arts and yoga disciplines that if the water is turbulent, it is difficult to see what is under it...if the water is calm, one can easily see what is under the water. Similarly when the mind is calm and emotions are still, it is possible to achieve a level of self realisation or illumination.

Because the mind literally has “a mind of its own”, it can be difficult to control the chaotic emotions and thoughts that go on inside. It does actually take some discipline and practice to focus and stop your mind from wandering from one unrelated thought to another. A common method used to keep your mind focused is by chanting a mantra such as "Om" or "Amen". By chanting your mantra, you will find that the mind will not wander so much. In certain traditions the use of a mantra actually carry a deeper meaning, usually a single word or expression, or even a complete prayer, which is considered to be of great spiritual significance. In time you will find that your mantra will be the trigger that puts you into the correct mental state required for meditation.

With as a little as 10 minutes of regular meditation every day, it is possible to live a progressively stress free existence without making dramatic changes to your lifestyle.

David Tomaselli is the creator of the Wholistic Development Exchange. The Wholistic Development Exchange is a web site focusing on Stress Management. Here you can access frequently updated tips, news and resources on how to reduce stress and manage stress. For the latest tips go to Stress Management Tips and Techniques. To download free E-Books go to our Free Stress Management E-Books Section.

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