Meditation

The Start of Something New

I needed a life kick start a few weeks back and since I really admire Tim Ferriss, I decided to listen to his podcast ‘5 Morning Rituals That Help Me Win The Day’ on my way to work.  One of Tim’s morning rituals is meditation; something I have always considered trying but never really had time for. I was always too busy or wanted to sleep in an extra ten minutes. I honestly think I came up with every excuse in the book. Lately, I realized my life has become increasingly busy and I haven’t had any time to decompress, clear my head, or be mindful to the world around me. This was a clear sign to me I needed to try something to bring back my sense of clarity and calmness, and meditation seemed like a great remedy. 

Ten Minutes LAter

Ten minutes. 600 seconds. That’s .00694 of your day to dedicate to mediating. It’s really not that much time when you put it in to perspective, but it’s this little amount of time that can make a big difference throughout your day and your life. There are many different meditation practices, but as a beginner I decided to start with the free Headspace app (crazy that we use technology as a means for meditation right? Seems counter intuitive but it works!) I was skeptical at first, but remained open-minded to the process of meditating. I had no clue how to meditate, but thankfully, the Headspace app sessions are guided and walk you through breathing and how to be mindful of your thoughts, feelings and surroundings. Before you know it the ten minutes are up and you have a revived sense of self and your surroundings to conquer the day.

Benefits

Many people may laugh or scoff at the idea of meditating, but let me assure you that there are several benefits that come with meditation. Meditating lowers blood pressure, improves your immune system, decreases insomnia, allows for mental clarity, increases your serotonin levels, and much more. “With meditation, the physiology undergoes a change and every cell in the body is filled with more prana (energy). This results in joy, peace, enthusiasm as the level of prana in the body increases.” I guess it’s no surprise that some of the world’s most successful and influential people meditate, including Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Marc Benioff, Arianna Huffington and more.

If you don’t have enough vacation time or money to escape from the hustle and bustle of life or are just simply feeling overwhelmed, download the Headspace app and allow yourself to refocus and recharge through meditation. If you don’t like it, you can always delete the app, but chances are this might just change your daily outlook on life and become a part of your daily routine.

Acupuncture

If any of you know me personally, you are fully aware that I am suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome (aka runners knee). Long story short, I got this disorder from overuse (too much running, jumping etc.) and knees that don’t track straight. I do physical therapy like it’s my job (no joke), but haven’t seen the improvements I was hoping for. As an athlete and someone who actually enjoys working out and running (weird right?), this has been devastating for me.  I decided to resort to something that entailed overcoming my fear of needles: acupuncture.

I think it’s important to understand the basics of this ancient health practice that dates back thousands of years. I am going to break it down for you plain and simple.

What the heck is it?

Accupuncture is believed to regulate energy flow, also known as Qi (pronounced chee), which is essential for good health. Through stimulation (aka poking needles in your skin) at various anatomical locations, acupuncture can correct any imbalances or disruptions of the Qi.

Does it hurt?

Fortunately, acupuncture is painless! The needs are so small you don’t even feel them being put in.

What can acupuncture treat?

Acupuncture doesn’t only treat pain. This practice has been known to help with anything from allergies and insomnia to fertility enhancement or anxiety. You would be surprised at the long list of things acupuncture can treat.

Fun fact!

Acupuncture is over 5,000 years old and is one of the oldest practicing forms of medicine known to date.

Conclusion:

To be quite honest, I truly enjoyed acupuncture. Not only did my knees feel better, but also my appointment was extremely relaxing. The acupuncturist dimmed the lights and played meditation music, which isn’t a bad way to spend a lunch break in my opinion.  If you are like me and want to avoid cortisone shots or taking Excedrin for every migraine, acupuncture might be a great alternative to consider. If you try it, let me know how you liked it!