The stressful situations of the modern life accompanied by poor life style and food habits, lack of personal discipline, emotional conflicts have been the major problems in the rise of the psychosomatic diseases and poor mental health. These health issues are also creating huge burden on the heath care systems too.
Mental health and harmony is very important in order to prevent such health problems. Psychosomatic diseases are having their roots in the mind and the manifestations are found in the body. A long term experience of the symptoms of anxiety, frustration and emotional disturbances can trigger like hypertension in the later stages. These diseases affect both the mind and body leading to the loss of peace and mental health and lower productivity.
The practice of meditation from the
Hatha Yoga Curriculum is one of the antidotes in the prevention of psychosomatic diseases as well as in the promotion of mental health on the scientific basis using very simple techniques. It has been of great help in the effective stress management too. One can derive lot of mental strength, vitality and vigor through the regular practice.
Ashtanga Yoga teachings of sage Patanjali in his classical work on yoga sutras explains the theory of meditation in the seventh limb as an unbroken flow of awareness in which the concentration of the mind is continuously maintained on chosen object of meditation. The process in which the practitioner himself loses his identity and the process and finally become one with the object of meditation expressing his mental behavior like that of the pure crystal which is free from all the defects in it. It is also the process of regulating the fluctuating mental modifications of the mind in order to experience the harmony and inner peace so that the meditator can find the means to connect to his inner nature.
The practice of meditation is approached with systematic way with the help of the proper preparation. Bagavad gita in the sixth chapter provides the brief outline on how to meditate as well as the necessary preparations for the successful practice.
Healthy lifestyle having the balance in the activities of sleep and wakeful conditions including the proper recreation is good foundation for the practice. The discipline on the food habits and the wise selection of the food is also important in the path. Satwic food is highly recommend for the meditation as it is very conducive for the peace of mind and cheerfulness with pleasant experience contributing for the harmony.
Steadiness in the body with regular practice of Asana forms the further preparation in the techniques. The principles of aligning the head, neck and trunk in a straight line matters to a lot to find the equilibrium in the pose which facilitates the meditation.The techniques of Pranayama and Prathyahra are also very useful preparation for training the mind and the senses in order to maintain the focus as well as channeling the energy in the system.
Research on various meditation techniques for several years has shown that these methods are capable to restore the equilibrium conditions of the mind and body through the control on the endocrinal profile as well as nervous system. There have been the significant changes in the physiology during the meditation such as reduced respiratory rate, pulse rate and cardiac output along with the higher level of muscular relaxation due to the decreased lactate levels in the blood.
Benefits of meditation techniques can be effectively applied in the prevention and management of the psychosomatic disease in multiple ways using the holistic approach of the mind and body as whole.
There is sufficient degree of muscular and joints relaxation with the help of the meditation which is effective for reducing the muscle tensions and the symptoms of the chronic fatigue syndrome. The balance on the endocrinal profile on account of the harmony in the mind and body is going to bring the stable autonomic nervous system having the slight dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system. Relief in the stress levels is significant in this development as they reduce the lactic acid in the blood and the secretions of the cortical hormones. Physical tensions and mental repressions are known to accumulate lot of energy. This can be released to enjoy the vitality and well being through the meditation.
Purification of mind and emotions is another great advantage of the regular practice of meditation as it helps to remove the weight of the unpleasant memories of the past and channeling the mental energy for the more positive view of the life.
Witnessing quality of the meditation regulates the nature of our emotions which are fundamental to our behaviors and personality traits. The negative emotions are checked and they are replaced with love and compassion which are significant in attaining the calmness and tranquility. These factors are also responsible for the changes in the brain waves pattern with dominance of the Alpha waves which are always associated with peace of mind and wellbeing. Most of the influence of the negative emotions is rooted in the afflictions. They can find the free play in the lower mind with the expressions of the anger, greed, lust, jealousy and pride.
Attention, awareness and concentration are improved through the meditation which is of great help in the regulation of emotions and thinking patterns for the collective enhancement of the mental health. These techniques also improve the self acceptance and self adjustment in our personality with an objective of having the harmony in our social environment. This particular change through meditation is really important for the contentment and inner peace which is the core of our happiness in the life.
The good health of the mind and body through the long term and consistent practice of meditation and other techniques of
Yoga Teacher Training Course can be of great help for the health, happiness and harmony in life through Yoga. We can enjoy the greater productivity and a sense of the fulfillment in the life too.
