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10 ways to sneak in meditation into your everyday life

Health experts share their tips and tricks on how to sneak meditation into your daily life without going on a yoga retreat. Ways to meditate every day Meeting deadlines at work, keeping up with friends, and trying to make time to exercise can be stressful – throw in a global pandemic and all its repercussions and it’s no wonder the majority of Australians feel that stress impacts their physical health (72%) and mental health (64%). But whatever the source of your stress, daily meditation can help you cope without having to change your schedule. 1. Try eating a meal without distractions <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/1-lunch-mindful-eating-GettyImages-1263611134-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> When was the last time you did this? According to Rebecca Weible, founder of Yo Yoga!, eating without your phone, tablet or a book creates real awareness. “Take the time to notice each bite, including the taste and texture of your food,” she says. “This is also great for digestion and portion control.” 2. Unplug and take a walk <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/2-walk-scooter-kids-parents-GettyImages-932349458-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Sometimes slowing down is as easy as unplugging from the digital world, including your phone, social media and email and taking in your surroundings. Weible says to take notice of each step: “The first and last part of your foot to hit the ground with each step, your stride and your pace. See how long you can stay present.” Running is also a great way to unplug. 3. Try out some yoga moves <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/3-yoga-GettyImages-1051753046-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Anyone can do yoga, trust us! “Yoga is a moving meditation as you are encouraged to be mindful of each part of your body in every pose and how you are moving from pose to pose,” says Weible. In yoga, you are forced to focus on your breathing and muscle control, which makes you totally present in the moment – a key to good meditation. Ensure you have the yoga mat best suited to your needs, <a href="http://gaiam.innovations.com.au/p/gaiam-yoga/mats?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">starting with this extensive range from Gaiam</a>. 4. Really wake up in the morning <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/4-waking-up-stretch-GettyImages-552008811-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Sure, we all wake up in the morning, but before you hop out of bed for that shower or cup of coffee, Scott Rogers, principal advisor at Innergy Meditation, suggests you really wake before getting out of bed, which means sitting up and taking in your surroundings. “Notice the lighting, the temperature, how you feel,” says Rogers, “Close or lower your eyes for a few breaths – for a few minutes – and rest your attention on the sensations of your body breathing.” 5. Whenever you walk through a door, take a deep breath <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/5-walking-through-a-door-GettyImages-1063759498-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Another way to bring focus and calm is to take a deep breath every time you walk through a doorway. This forces you to look around, see where you are, and again bring focus into your daily life. “Such moments insert an important wedge of awareness that helps reduce stress and steady the mind,” says Rogers. 6. Use Post-It notes <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/6-post-it-note-GettyImages-85007668-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> There is no wrong way or right way to meditate. A super-easy way is using Post-It notes. suggests Jackie Itzkowitz and Joel Granik, co-founders of Floating Lotus. “Put a Post-It note on your mirror in your bathroom to remind yourself to think about something you are grateful for,” explain Itzkowitz and Granik. “The fact you can walk, the exciting day you have ahead of you, or even the fact you are alive and well. Taking a moment to be mindful and aware of yourself and the things around you counts as meditating.” 7. Check your breathing <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/7-breathing-exercise-GettyImages-1143696586-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This is a really easy one. “Take a moment to sit up tall with both feet on the floor, hands in your lap. You can close the eyes or leave them open,” suggests Weible. “Take a deep breath in through your nose counting to three, then let it out through your nose counting to three. Take another breath in counting to four, let it out counting to four. Repeat this pattern using a five-count. You can take as many breaths as you like, but three mindful breaths can go a long way towards making you feel less stressed and more at ease.” Add the healing benefits of aromatherapy to your breathing exercises <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.com.au/p/gaiam-wellness/relax/27-73273-gaiam-wellness-usb-mini-diffuser?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with the help of a Gaiam Wellness Mini Diffuser</a>. 8. Practise mindfulness <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/8-smelling-flowers-roses-GettyImages-455252101-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This another meditation practice you can try anywhere. “Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to our present moment experience and there is no time when we cannot be practising,” says Rogers. “But, we tend to forget or feel too busy to do so” So literally, slow down and smell the roses. 9. Try switching hands <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/9-yoghurt-spoon-GettyImages-1226825261-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Most people have one dominant hand so Rogers suggests switching it up. “When you are ready to eat, place your fork or spoon in your non-dominant hand for your first bite,” he says, “This will slow down the process and engage attention. As you take your first bite, notice the sensory richness of sight, smell and touch.” 10. Forget about worrying <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/04/10-meditation-GettyImages-1157178955-770.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> This one is easier said than done but Itzkowitz and Granik say worrying is the one thing that can bring your meditating down. “Actually worrying about doing meditation wrong is the only thing you can do wrong,” they advise. “Be compassionate with yourself and let yourself relax.” This article, written by Felissa Benjamin Allard, originally appeared on<span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"> <a style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #258440; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: transparent; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out 0s;" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/10-ways-to-sneak-in-meditation-into-your-everyday-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Images: Shutterstock | Getty

Mind

The art of meditation

Meditation is essentially relaxation time and is based on the art of focusing 100 per cent of your attention on one thing. The practice comes with many health benefits including increased concentration, decreased anxiety and improved mental and physical health. While it can be challenge to set aside regular meditation time, the benefits you gain in as little as five minutes will soon have you looking forward to your “me” time. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of it. Choose a convenient time. You can meditate any time, whether you’re already feeling relaxed or need to de-stress. The best time is when you’re not likely to be disturbed and are free to relax. Sunrise and sunset are ideal, particularly first thing in the morning – it is quieter, your mind isn’t filled with the usual clutter, and there’s less chance you’ll be disturbed. Choose a quiet place. Quiet, peaceful surroundings can make meditation more enjoyable and relaxing. But the good news is that as you progress, you’ll learn to ignore any interruptions that arise – sirens, phones and the hustle and bustle of the world around you. Meditate with purpose. If you’re a beginner, keep in mind that meditation is an active process. The art of focusing your attention on a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged! Establish a regular practice. The idea “practice makes perfect” definitely applies to meditation and as per the point above, if you‘re going to get positive benefits, you need to stay committed. Sit comfortably. Make sure you’re relaxed and comfortable. Sit up straight, keep your shoulders and neck relaxed, and eyes closed. Luckily, there’s no need to sit in the lotus position! Don’t meditate on a full stomach. It’s best to meditate before a meal so you don’t feel too full or doze off while meditating. However, don’t meditate when you’re hungry. You‘ll find it tricky if you keep thinking about food the whole time! Choose a meditation practice. There are a range of different meditation techniques to explore. The most popular include: 1. Observing your breathing – without altering the rhythm of your breathing, simply notice every inhalation and exhalation. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the breath. 2. Repeating a mantra – saying a sound, word or phrase in your mind over and over can lead you into a state of deep relaxation. You can learn transcendental meditation from a trained teacher who will give you a mantra, or you can try the word “om” or other words like “peace”. 3. Practicing visualisation – taking your mind to a safe, calm place can be a pleasant way to meditate. Imagine you are on a beach or in a garden and picture every detail of your surroundings. 4. Progressively relaxing the body – while sitting or lying down, try moving your awareness slowly through your body from your head to your toes. Relaxing each part of your body is an effective way to achieve a wonderful state of calm. Image credits: Getty Images

Mind

Why you should start meditating today (and how)

Have you always wanted to give meditation a go? Here are the reasons why you should start meditating today. There’s a reason more and more people are looking to give it a go – it’s good for you. Research from a Carnegie Mellon University study indicated that just 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation for three consecutive days can alleviate psychological stress. Meditation tips for beginner If you’re looking to start your meditation journey this instant, follow these simple tips. Once you start, try to set aside time each day to practice and you’ll soon discover the benefits of regular meditation. 1. Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. This is especially important for when you’re first starting out since it will be a challenge initially to quieten your mind and stay focused. This will be harder if you’re in a noisy or disruptive environment. 2. Get comfortable. Good posture makes a difference. Relax your body, get comfortable on the ground by either sitting on carpet or a cushion, and sit upright with your spine erect. Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed, your eyes closed and get ready to begin. 3. Start with the breath. Breathing is incredibly important when it comes to meditation. Taking deep breaths slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles and focuses the mind. By focusing on your breathing, you’re less likely to get distracted by stray thoughts or outside noises. 4. Pop a smile on your dial. Did you know that smiling can make you happier instantly? Sit comfortably with a smile on your face, and your mood will instantly improve. Give it a go. 5. Stay committed. As soon as you get comfortable, close your eyes and start to focus on your breathing, thoughts are going to start trying to fill the void you’re trying to create. Let them and help them on their way, by passing through your mind, never taking your focus off your breathing. Don’t get frustrated. Stay committed and with practice, your control over your thoughts will become as easy as breathing. 6. Feel your body. If you’re finding it difficult to block out your thoughts by not consciously ‘thinking’ of something, one good technique for beginners is to take notice of your individual body parts. Put all of your attention on your toes and then move your way up your body, focusing intently on that specific part of your body. If you can do this, you’re going well. 7. Keep it short. When you’re starting out and incorporating regular meditation into your schedule, keep it to about 10 or 15 minutes initially. With each week, try and add an extra minute until you can comfortably do about 30 minutes. Meditation is just like learning any new skill, with practice, you will get better. 8. Become aware slowly. Just like in yoga, where you come to the end of your session by slowly moving each of your limbs and gently opening your eyes, do the same for the end of your meditation session. Take your time to be aware of yourself and your surroundings, revelling in simply being in the present moment. Image: Getty

Caring

"A kind of meditative peace": Quiet hour shopping makes us wonder why our cities have to be so noisy

The idea behind “quiet hour” shopping is to set aside a time each week for a retail experience that minimises noise and other sources of sensory overload. It is aimed at people who are <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/explainer-neurodivergence-mental-health/">neurodivergent</a> – an umbrella term for people with autism, ADHD and other sensory-processing conditions. What began as a boutique or specialist retail strategy has become more mainstream. Major <a href="https://www.coles.com.au/about-coles/community/accessibility/quiet-hour">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/au/en/media/news-archive/2019/woolworths-rolls-out-quiet-hour-to-select-stores-across-australia.html">chains</a> and <a href="https://insideretail.com.au/news/westfield-tuggerah-introduces-quiet-hour-for-people-with-dementia-autism-201907">shopping centres</a> in Australia and overseas have introduced it in recent years. In newly published <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07255136221133188">research</a> we explored quiet hour as an aspect of the impacts of sound on how people experience city life. As expected, we found it did benefit people who are neurodivergent. But other people also welcomed the relief from sensory overload once they’d overcome the feeling of having wandered into an eerily quiet “post-apocalyptic scene”. Our work has made us question the acceptance of urban noise and light as being part and parcel of a vibrant city. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> As families around Australia prepare for Santa’s arrival Coles and Woolworths supermarkets become a centre of activity. Both stores offer ‘Quiet Hour’ on Tuesday for a low sensory shopping experience. Coles hours: <a href="https://t.co/jZV0f5bGwm">https://t.co/jZV0f5bGwm</a> Woolworths hours: <a href="https://t.co/X5iMm05cOr">https://t.co/X5iMm05cOr</a> <a href="https://t.co/R5CyXcB9R3">pic.twitter.com/R5CyXcB9R3</a> — NDIS (@NDIS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDIS/status/1458706093492817923?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <h2>What does quiet hour involve?</h2> Quiet hour is intended to make retail spaces more inclusive or sensory-friendly. Its features include retailers or mall managers agreeing to: <ul> <li> switch automatic doors to open </li> <li> pause collection of trolleys </li> <li> turn off the PA and music </li> <li> fix flickering lights and turn off as much lighting as practicable </li> <li> remove scented reeds and pause automatic scent dispensers </li> <li> switch off hand dryers </li> <li> turn down the volume on checkout scanners. </li> </ul> One of the tools we used for mapping quiet hour was a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07255136221133188">thematic analysis</a> of reports about it in Australian print media from 2017 to 2019. We found the following themes: <ul> <li> an emphasis on the kinds of discomforts associated with retail environments </li> <li> the importance of providing a “low-sensory environment” as a form of inclusion </li> <li> while lighting was often mentioned, the main recurring theme was the reduction of sound. </li> </ul> <h2>Why does reducing sound matter?</h2> Sound and sensory hypersensitivity are important themes in neurodivergent people’s accounts of how they struggle with everyday experiences others take for granted. Leading autism researcher and advocate Sandra Thom-Jones <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/growing-in-to-autism-paperback-softback">writes</a> that neurodivergents’ sensitivity to sound is complex. It’s affected by “what the sound actually is, how loud it is, whether I am expecting it, and whether I can control it”. People might assume everyone has the ability to <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203033142-4/radio-texture-self-others1-jo-tacchi">frame which sounds are important</a> and which are “irrelevant to what we are listening to or doing”. However, the ability to single out sound sources and block out background noise is a major point of differentiation between neurotypicals and neurodivergents. Thom-Jones, who received her autism diagnosis at age 52, <a href="https://www.mup.com.au/books/growing-in-to-autism-paperback-softback">reports</a> that when she is “in an environment with multiple sounds” she tends to “hear all of them”. Thus, when she is catching up with a friend in a café, she may be “listening intently” to what her friend is saying but she will also be “hearing the piped music, the people talking at the next table, cars driving past, the coffee machine”. <h2>Others welcome quiet hour too</h2> Given how neurodivergents process sound, quiet hour is likely to increase their sense of comfort in retail spaces. However, quiet hour also suspends or – to use a term coined by <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Frame_Analysis/XBpmAAAAIAAJ?hl=en">Erving Goffman</a> – “rekeys” the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/symb.506">sensory frames</a> of all shoppers. A quiet hour could benefit lots of people who may not have a specific condition but simply prefer a quieter retail environment. We found this is an under-researched area, but did find anecdotal accounts to suggest this. Take the <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/12-07-2020/the-quiet-hours-in-praise-of-supermarket-serenity">case</a> of New Zealand actress and author Michelle Langstone. She reports visiting stores across Auckland and Rotorua that offer quiet-hour shopping. She stumbled upon it by “sheer luck”. At first, she admits, it felt “a bit like a post-apocalyptic scene”. Once she adjusted to the unfamiliar sensory environment, she felt herself succumbing to changed supermarket routines, “I cruised every single [aisle], taking in the quiet for nearly 45 minutes, at the end of which I felt a kind of meditative peace come over me.” Langstone also <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/12-07-2020/the-quiet-hours-in-praise-of-supermarket-serenity">reports</a> avoiding impulse buying. That first time she left with “only [the] bread and eggs” she had gone to the shop for. She was able to focus on shopping rather than “multi-tasking”, and quiet hour left her with a “feeling of goodwill towards all shoppers”. In other words, even if the strategy is about levelling the sensory playing field for neurodivergents, it seems to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/soin.12232">change the shopping experience</a> for other people too. <h2>Why the bias towards the noisy city?</h2> As researchers interested in sound and space, quiet hour made us reflect on how we think about these issues and our attitudes to noise. It made us question, for example, why one of the most cited texts in our field is entitled <a href="https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/noise">Noise: The Political Economy of Music</a>? Studies of silence or quietude are rare in urban or spatial studies. One has to turn to fields such as the study of <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1466138109339041">meditation practices</a> or the silence associated with <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-au/A+History+of+Silence:+From+the+Renaissance+to+the+Present+Day-p-9781509517350">nature or sacred spaces</a> to find positive accounts of reduced noise. This needs correcting. Sound intensity matters if cities, buildings or public spaces are to foster hospitality and “<a href="https://www.metrolab.brussels/publications/the-qualities-of-hospitality-and-the-concept-of-inclusive-city">support people in their activities by facilitating their stay</a>”. What quiet hour teaches us is that an inclusive or welcoming city is a city that “<a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Resonance%3A+A+Sociology+of+Our+Relationship+to+the+World-p-9781509519927">resonates</a>” with different kinds of minds, bodies and styles of sensory processing. Quiet hour might therefore be both an inclusion strategy and an experiment that forces us to think more deeply about our cities and how they sound. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-kind-of-meditative-peace-quiet-hour-shopping-makes-us-wonder-why-our-cities-have-to-be-so-noisy-193461" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

4 alternatives to legal action

Legal action can be costly and time consuming. That being said, whenever you encounter legal problems there are some options around. We’ve taken a look at some of the alternatives to legal action that can see you achieve 1. Mediation This involves a trained mediator facilitating a negotiation, but not making binding decisions and is usually a good way of solving a dispute with lawyers present or not. Advantages: <ul> <li>Introduction of a third party to appraise the case and a reflective approach to disputes</li> <li>Focused on interests of parties rather than legal rights and conciliatory in nature</li> <li>It can be quick, cheap and confidential with scope for non-monetary remedies</li> </ul> Disadvantages: <ul> <li>No appropriate when a court remedy is necessary</li> <li>Rarely produces, and mediator has no power to impose binding decision</li> </ul> 2. Early neutral evaluation This is a non-binding process where a neutral party gives non-binding evaluations of the merits and flaw of a dispute in general, generally involving the opinion of a QC/retired judge. Advantages: <ul> <li>Can be useful and assist parties that need to break a deadlock.</li> </ul> Disadvantages: <ul> <li>Process is non-binding and parties can ignore an opinion they disagree with.</li> </ul> 3. Expert determination An independent third party with recognised expertise in the subject matter in dispute, assists the parties and helps them resolve the dispute. Advantages: <ul> <li>Quick, cheap and confidential and gives parties a greater knowledge of how the factual evidence is likely to be decided if the case goes to trial.</li> <li>Can be effective where the parties anticipate a specific type of technical dispute.</li> </ul> Disadvantages: <ul> <li>Expert has no power to force his findings on the parties.</li> <li>The parties may provide that the determination of the expert is final and binding upon them, but recourse to the Courts is still necessary to enforce any determination.</li> </ul> 4. Arbitration This is when the matter is determined by a professional arbitrator given power to impose a binding decision on both parties. Arbitration can, in that sense, be seen as a direct replacement for litigation. Advantages: <ul> <li>Avoids using the courts and is confidential.</li> <li>Speedier and more informal than litigation.</li> <li>Potential for limited discovery.</li> </ul> Disadvantages: <ul> <li>Costs with arbitrations potentially taking a similar amount of time to litigation.</li> <li>An arbitrator's award may only be appealed on the limited grounds of manifest error of law on the face of the award, where the question is one of the general public importance.</li> </ul> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/2016/01/10-celebrities-who-cut-their-kids-out-of-inheritances/">10 celebrities who cut their kids out of massive inheritances to give to charity</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/2015/08/3-places-to-safely-store-your-will/">3 places to safely store your will</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/2016/01/why-you-need-to-appoint-a-power-of-attorney-now/">Why you need to appoint a power of attorney now</a>

Legal

Why 15 minutes of meditation a day is the game changer in the world of antiaging

Our mind is our most precious asset and one we use every single day. Yet many of us don’t take the time to nourish it properly so it can perform at its very best now and well into the future. We all lead busy lives. Constant demands pulling our attention in so many different ways at once. As women we tend to spend a lot of time taking care of those around us and put our own self-care on the back burner. This can leave us feeling burnt out, stressed and looking older than we should. <a name="_Hlk109827543"></a>When practiced correctly, meditation has <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/meditation">well-documented</a> benefits including boosting your immune system, improving your sleep and reducing your stress levels. These all work together to slow down the ageing process, making meditation a game changer when it comes to anti-ageing. If your day is already full, it can feel too hard to add something else into an already busy day. But before you put it in the too-hard basket, you need to ask yourself, - How much time did you spend stressing about a project before you actually got it done? - How long did you lie in bed worrying about tomorrow? - How much time did you waste mindless scrolling through social media? With as little as 15 minutes a day, meditation can help you to reduce your stress, to stop overthinking and to feel mentally strong enough to take on whatever challenges the day may bring. <ol start="1" type="1"> <li>Stop overthinking and focus on the present. We waste too much time and energy thinking about things we can’t control. Meditation teaches us to be present in the moment, acknowledging those wayward thoughts but not letting them take over. So instead of worrying about the past or overthinking the future, you’ll be able to focus on the task at hand. </li> <li>Reduce the stress and take a breath. Stressful situations can lead to your emotions being all over the place. When you learn to focus your thoughts during meditation, you also learn how to control your emotional response and reduce your stress levels. This increased sense of control can help you make better choices and create a more positive mindset.</li> <li>Build a stronger brain. More is being understood about the complex connection between psychological and physical health. When we take steps to improve the state of our mind using meditation, it also creates <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9232427/#CR2">physical changes in our brain</a>. MRIs have shown that regular meditation can increase the thickness of your prefrontal cortex; the area responsible for higher brain functions such as awareness and concentration. It also suggests that meditation can help slow down age-related thinning of that area, keeping your brain functioning at a higher level for longer.</li> <li>Save your skin. When you reduce your stress levels using meditation, your body reduces the amount of cortisol, aka the stress hormone into your body. Cortisol is responsible for premature ageing signs including deeper wrinkles caused by weaker collagen, and increased skin inflammation and conditions such as psoriasis. So reducing the amount of cortisol in your system will help to slow down and even reverse some of these ageing responses.</li> </ol> Meditation can be the ultimate game changing approach to anti-ageing. Because feeling strong, vibrant and passionate about your life is just as important as for how you look. If you’ve thought that looking after yourself wasn't a priority or that you didn’t have time, meditation can help to change your perspective so you can embrace making healthy choices and change your habits. Lyndal Linkin, author of “To Age or Not to Age”, is a 56-year-old anti-aging expert who’s spent her lifetime learning about anti-aging solutions. A successful entrepreneur, corporate leader and mother, she uses her years of research and personal experience to explain the most effective methods so you can look and feel younger. Find out more at <a href="http://www.lyndallinkin.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.lyndallinkin.com.au</a> or Instagram: @lyndallinkin Image: Getty Images

Mind

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial at 40 – a deep meditation on loneliness, and Spielberg’s most exhilarating film

40 years ago this month saw the release of Steven Spielberg’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial</a> – a film about a stranded alien, the boy called Elliott who discovers it and a bond of friendship that remains as magical and heartbreaking as it did back in 1982. We think of Spielberg movies today as thrilling roller-coaster rides, full of sharks, dinosaurs and swashbuckling archaeologists. Yet for me, E.T. remains Spielberg’s most exhilarating work: a deep meditation on loneliness, friendship and growing up in small-town America. Aided by John Williams’s Oscar-winning score and Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore’s touching performances, E.T. feels both of its time and for all time. As Spielberg <a href="https://www.contactmusic.com/pages/et2x21x03x02" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a>: I think that E.T. is for the people we are, the people we have been and the people we want to be again. <h2>A child in need of a friend</h2> After the breathless trio of Jaws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Spielberg wanted to make a more intimate film about his isolated childhood in suburban Arizona <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/steven-spielberg-et-divorce-parents-anniversary-b2063879.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as he came to terms</a> with the divorce of his parents. At the same time, he had commissioned a script about a suburban family terrorised by a group of aliens with one befriending the family’s son. The DNA of both stories would make their way into this film. Like Spielberg, Elliott is a loner. He’s not playing sport, or going out with girls or getting into trouble. He is introverted and thoughtful. And in need of company. One of Spielberg’s great underrated talents is his direction of children. Many of his films feature young children at their centre – think The BFG (2016), A.I. (2001) and War Horse (2011). In E.T., Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore as brother and sister Elliott and Gertie bring credibility and pathos to their roles, fitting seamlessly into the southern Californian ‘burb culture recreated so fondly by the director. Spielberg’s grasp of childlike wonder is everywhere: notice how he shoots from the children’s eye level and shows adults only from the waist down. For the first time in his career, Spielberg rejected storyboards and <a href="https://ascmag.com/articles/spielberg-et-the-extraterrestrial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shot scenes chronologically</a>, allowing Thomas and Barrymore time and space to improvise. The domestic and school scenes (hiding E.T. from the mother, tempting it into the house with Reese’s Pieces, freeing frogs destined for dissection) all feel more real because of this. <h2>And what of our alien?</h2> Before E.T., Hollywood saw aliens as hostile critters intent on planetary carnage. The recent extra-terrestrials in Alien (1979) and The Thing (1982) had caused havoc and trauma. E.T. is different: partly modelled on the facial features of Albert Einstein, it is inquisitive, thoughtful, funny. In the delightful Halloween scene, Elliott throws a white sheet over it as a disguise, and E.T. suddenly spots a child dressed up as Yoda, excitedly repeating “Home! Home!”. From this moment, Hollywood realised the marketing potential of “cute aliens”; whether Ewoks, Grogu or Toy Story’s “Little Green Men”. It is small wonder that Variety <a href="https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-1200425287/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> E.T. as the “best Disney film Disney never made”. The alien plays another role too: it fills the void of the absent father. Paternal lack and the strains it places on families is a familiar trope in Spielberg’s films, from Jurassic Park (1993) to Catch Me If You Can (2002) to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). All we know is that Elliott’s father is “in Mexico, with Sally”: left behind is a stressed mother and bickering siblings. Some contend that E.T. is a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4239568?seq=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modern-day fairy tale</a> or <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1982/08/15/movies/l-film-mailbag-is-et-a-religious-parable-073792.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a Christian parable</a>. For others, it is an illustration of “<a href="https://edoc.hu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/18452/23096/9783631837801%20%E2%80%93%20Echoes%20of%20Reaganism%20in%20Hollywood%20Blockbuster%20Movies%20from%20the%201980s%20to%20the%202010s.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reaganite entertainment</a>”, upholding the sanctity of the nuclear family but distrustful of bureaucratic interference and governmental surveillance. <h2>Spielberg at his best</h2> E.T. earned US$800 million at the box office. Adjusted for inflation, four decades on, that is still the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films_in_the_United_States_and_Canada#Adjusted_for_ticket-price_inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth highest grossing</a> movie ever. For some naysayers, its success was further evidence of the special effects-laden, high-concept spectacle film that was beginning to reign in mainstream film culture. But I think E.T. is much more than that: it is a movie with a heart. The special effects are minimal. What counts is the story, and the boy and his friend. Spielberg’s films are to this day <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2011/12/critics-notebook-putting-steven-spielberg-on-trial-50244/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticised</a> as mawkish and overly sentimental, deliberately engineered to cynically manipulate our emotions. Not so in E.T.: the pleasure is genuine and the tears are earned. E.T. became a pop culture phenomenon. The shot of Elliott and E.T. on a bike, flying across the moon, remains an iconic image. “Phone home” has become part of our lexicon. Its message of peaceful coexistence between creatures from different worlds today seems more appropriate than ever. Aliens stranded on earth are a staple of contemporary cinema, from Under the Skin (2013) to The Iron Giant (1999). And Netflix’s current global hit Stranger Things contains a treasure trove of E.T.’s visual references. Spielberg may have made bigger, louder films, and more historically profound ones, but E.T. endures as his best. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-t-the-extra-terrestrial-at-40-a-deep-meditation-on-loneliness-and-spielbergs-most-exhilarating-film-183985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Movies

What is mindfulness? Nobody really knows, and that’s a problem

You’ve probably heard of mindfulness. These days, it’s everywhere, like many ideas and practices drawn from Buddhist texts that have become part of mainstream Western culture. But a review published today in the journal <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691617709589">Perspectives on Psychological Science</a> shows the hype is ahead of the evidence. Some <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23796855">reviews of studies</a> on mindfulness suggest it may help with psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress. But it’s not clear what type of mindfulness or meditation we need and for what specific problem. The study, involving a large group of researchers, clinicians and meditators, found a clear-cut definition of mindfulness doesn’t exist. This has potentially serious implications. If vastly different treatments and practices are considered the same, then research evidence for one may be wrongly taken as support for another. At the same time, if we move the goalposts too far or in the wrong direction, we might lose the potential benefits of mindfulness altogether. <h2>So, what is mindfulness?</h2> Mindfulness receives a bewildering assortment of definitions. Psychologists <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12671-012-0122-5">measure the concept</a> in differing combinations of acceptance, attentiveness, awareness, body focus, curiosity, nonjudgmental attitude, focus on the present, and others. It’s equally ill-defined as a set of practices. A brief exercise in self-reflection prompted by a smart-phone app on your daily commute may be considered the same as a months-long meditation retreat. Mindfulness can both refer to what Buddhist monks do and what your yoga instructor does for five minutes at the start and end of a class. To be clear, mindfulness and meditation are not the same thing. There are types of meditation that are mindful, but not all mindfulness involves meditation and not all meditation is mindfulness-based. Mindfulness mainly refers to the idea of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness">focusing on the present moment</a>, but it’s not quite that simple. It also refers to several forms of meditation practices that aim to develop skills of awareness of the world around you and of your behavioral patterns and habits. In truth, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rcbh20/12/1">many disagree</a> about its actual purpose and what is and isn’t mindfulness. <h2>What’s it for?</h2> Mindfulness has been applied to just about any problem you can think up - from relationship issues, problems with alcohol or drugs, to enhancing leadership skills. It’s <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-05/athletes-use-meditation-and-mindfulness-to-give-them-edge/8326004">being used by sportsmen</a> to find “clarity” on and off the field and <a href="https://mindfulnessinschools.org/">mindfulness programs</a> are being offered at school. You can find it in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/search-inside-yourself-googles-life-changing-mindfulness-course-2014-8?r=US&IR=T">workplaces</a>, <a href="https://amavic.com.au/doctor-wellbeing/mindfulness-in-medicine">medical clinics</a>, and <a href="https://psychcentral.com/news/2017/02/22/mindfulness-shows-mixed-results-for-older-adults-well-being/116765.html">old age homes</a>. More than a few popular books have been written <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enlightenment/dp/1439195455">touting the benefits</a> of mindfulness and meditation. For example, in a supposedly critical review <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Altered-Traits-Science-Reveals-Meditation/dp/0399184384/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0399184384&pd_rd_r=W1WPPXCTWYZ2DB9XRRPY&pd_rd_w=Q6zJs&pd_rd_wg=1QvNB&psc=1&refRID=W1WPPXCTWYZ2DB9XRRPY">Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes your Mind, Brain and Body</a>, Daniel Goleman argues one of the four benefits of mindfulness is improved working memory. Yet, a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27580462">recent review</a> of about 18 studies exploring the effect of mindfulness-based therapies on attention and memory calls into question these ideas. Another common claim is that mindfulness reduces stress, for which there is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24395196">limited evidence</a>. Other promises, such as improved mood and attention, better eating habits, improved sleep, and better weight control are not <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24395196">fully supported by the science</a> either. And while benefits have limited evidence, mindfulness and meditation can sometimes be <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0176239">harmful</a> and can lead to psychosis, mania, loss of personal identity, anxiety, panic, and re-experiencing traumatic memories. Experts have suggested mindfulness is <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-011-0079-9">not for everyone</a>, especially those suffering from several serious mental health problems such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. <h2>Research on mindfulness</h2> Another problem with mindfulness literature is that it often suffers from poor research methodology. Ways of measuring mindfulness are highly variable, assessing quite different phenomena while using the same label. This <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jclp.20580/abstract">lack of equivalence</a>among measures and individuals makes it challenging to generalise from one study to another. Mindfulness researchers rely too much on questionnaires, which require people to introspect and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22122674">report on mental states</a> that may be slippery and fleeting. These reports are notoriously vulnerable to biases. For example, people who aspire to mindfulness may report being mindful because they see it as desirable, not because they have actually achieved it. Only a <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-45553-002">tiny minority of attempts</a> to examine whether these treatments work compare them against another treatment that is known to work – which is the primary means by which clinical science can show added value of new treatments. And a minority of these studies are conducted in regular clinical practices rather than in specialist research contexts. A recent <a href="https://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?doi=10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018">review of studies</a>, commissioned by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, found many studies were too poorly conducted to include in the review and that mindfulness treatments were moderately effective, at best, for anxiety, depression, and pain. There was no evidence of efficacy for attention problems, positive mood, substance abuse, eating habits, sleep or weight control. <h2>What should be done?</h2> Mindfulness is definitely a useful concept and a <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735813000731">promising set of practices</a>. It may help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25818837">prevent</a> psychological problems and could be useful as an addition to existing treatments. It <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735815000197">may also be helpful</a> for general mental functioning and well-being. But the promise will not be realised if problems are not addressed. The mindfulness community must agree to key features that are essential to mindfulness and researchers should be clear how their measures and practices include these. Media reports should be equally specific about what states of mind and practices mindfulness includes, rather than using it as a broad term. Mindfulness might be assessed, not through self-reporting, but in part using more objective <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2566754/">neurobiological</a> and behavioural measures, such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4208398/">breath counting</a>. This is where random tones could be used to “ask” participants if they are focused on the breath (press left button) or if their mind had wandered (press right button). Researchers studying the efficacy of mindfulness treatments should compare them to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence-based_practice">credible alternative treatments</a>, whenever possible. Development of new mindfulness approaches should be avoided until we know more about the ones we already have. Scientists and clinicians should use rigorous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomized_controlled_trial">randomised control trials</a> and work with researchers from outside the mindfulness tradition. And lastly, mindfulness researchers and practitioners should acknowledge the reality of occasional negative effects. Just as medications must declare potential side effects, so should mindfulness treatments. Researchers should systematically assess potential side effects when studying mindfulness treatments. Practitioners should be alert to them and not recommend mindfulness treatments as a first approach if safer ones with stronger evidence of efficacy are available. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-mindfulness-nobody-really-knows-and-thats-a-problem-83295" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

How walking meditation can improve your mental health

While conquering the world’s swimming pools in the late 1990s and the 2000s, Amanda Beard had already included breathing exercises and visualisation techniques in her training. She was not the type of person to practise meditation, though. She didn’t completely understand it, or she thought of it as something incompatible with her “anxious and fidgety character.” Several years after the end of her athletic career, she discovered walking meditation. “I put on my earbuds, turned up the music really loud, and just went out for a walk,” Beard says. Today, the seven-time US Olympic medallist practises walking meditation in nature, around the house, on a plane, or while walking the dog. It’s a daily practise that contributes positively to every aspect of her life, she says. Here’s what you need to know about walking meditation, including how to do it, the potential benefits, and tips from meditation experts. What is walking meditation? Walking meditation is a mindfulness practice that weds the physical benefits of walking with the focused mindfulness of meditation. Instead of sitting cross-legged, you meditate on the stroll. Vietnamese meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh has poetically defined it as, “printing peace, serenity and happiness on the ground”. How do I start a walking meditation practice? You don’t need equipment or a designated space to start. “The idea of a walking meditation is to pay attention to the way your body feels, noticing things like the sky, trees, tuning into all of your senses, all with curiosity and without judgment,” says board-certified family physician and meditation teacher Rashmi Schramm, MD. This means you can meditate “on the go” in the countryside, in the city, in your backyard, and virtually anywhere. A simple, 10-minute walking meditation for beginners requires that you just start walking, observing your body while “blending” into the world around you, per a 2018 report in Health Promotion Perspectives. Consider what you hear, smell and see. Think about how your feet touch the ground. You should try to fully immerse in these sensations and not dwell on any thoughts (but don’t worry if they hit your mind), a simple act with the potential to gradually usher a new kind of awareness into your life. In case you want to do a more formal type of walking meditation, like watching your breath, you may try slowly inhaling through your nostrils, according to a study in Frontiers in Psychology. Then hold your breath, say, for 2 seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, or simply observe the way you breathe while you walk. You can also use apps like Healthy Minds Program, Insight Timer, Smiling Mind, or Headspace. The benefits of walking meditation The 2018 report in Health Promotion Perspectives also found that walking meditation can improve your balance, make your legs stronger, adjust your heart rate, boost your mental focus and clarity, and help you battle anxiety, chronic illness and depression. “The benefits of this brilliant and easy way of meditation are many, including improved memory, mood and our ability to focus,” Dr Schramm says. “When we do this over and over again, we train the brain to focus on only one thing at a time and, over time, this increases both our blood flow and actual neuronal changes within our brains.” Even just two weeks of meditating can lead to improved moods, as feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin increase, Dr Schramm says. Meditating 'on the go' challenges It is safe to assume walking meditation is a low-risk activity, but this does not mean to practise it recklessly. “It’s better that you do it somewhere where you don’t have to take care of anything else,” says Tara Stiles, a yoga, movement and wellness expert as well as founder of Stråla Yoga. It should be a time for breathing, moving, noticing your breath and noticing how you feel as you breathe, according to Stiles. “It is not advisable that you do it while crossing a busy street or taking care of a small child,” she adds. And you may find it harder to meditate on the go if you cannot fathom stepping out of the door without your mobile phone in hand. “The fewer distractions, the better,” Stiles says. Be kind to yourself “The magic of meditation is to be able to help you connect with yourself; meditation shouldn’t feel a certain way,” Stiles says. It’s a common mistake in meditation: People fear a wandering mind. “A wandering mind is completely normal,” Stiles says. “Even long-term meditators aren’t sitting there never having a thought, but when they have the thought, they choose to guide themselves back to their breath instead of getting frustrated.” Beard recommends starting with five or 10 minutes of walking meditation, and not worrying about distractions. Three years after practising walking meditation almost daily, the highly decorated swimmer reports she has become kinder to herself, less judgmental of who she is and the things she does, and more focused. “And these have overflown into all the different aspects of my life,” she says. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/how-walking-meditation-can-improve-your-mental-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Mind

Meditation could boost your immune system

A <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/how-meditation-could-help-boost-the-immune-system" target="_blank">new study</a> has connected intensive meditation with altered behaviour of over 200 genes tied to immunity, with their findings suggesting that meditation may be beneficial for those with a weakened immune system. The research, recently published in the journal <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pnas.org/content/118/51/e2110455118" target="_blank">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)</a>, involved analysing blood samples from 106 volunteers who participated in an intensive Samyama meditation retreat. The participants spent eight days in complete silence, followed a strict vegan diet and regular sleep schedule, and meditated for more than ten hours each day. Several samples were taken from each participant, including one two months before the retreat, another five weeks before, two immediately before and after the retreat, and a final sample three months after it ended. After analysing the gene expression in the samples, the team found that there were “distinct” alterations in how genes were expressed after participants meditated. In particular, they found that 220 genes tied to immunity had higher levels of expression without an increase in inflammation. Sixty-eight of these genes were also tied to signalling proteins called interferons. These proteins help our immune systems to identify viruses and trigger immune cells to fight viral cells, stopping them from multiplying. “These findings suggest that meditation has an immediate impact on immune cells and genes,” the authors wrote. They also discovered that there wasn’t an increase in inflammation Though many studies have found that meditation has a positive impact on our health, this new research investigates what happens inside human cells when we meditate to explain why we experience these positive effects. By examining the gene expression before and after meditation, the authors suggest that meditation could be helpful for treating conditions characterised by a weakened immunity and persistent inflammation. “Together, these results make meditation an effective behavioural intervention for treating various conditions associated with a weakened immune system,” they concluded. Image: Getty Images

Mind

Meditating could make you less error prone

Meditation has been shown to have a slew of benefits, and researchers from Michigan University have added another to the list: fixing mistakes. The team took more than 200 participants, who had never meditated before, through a 20-minute open monitoring meditation exercise while their brain activity was being measured. “Some forms of meditation have you focus on a single object, commonly your breath, but open monitoring meditation is different, '' said Jeff Lin, the study’s co-author. “It has you tune inward and pay attention to everything going on in your mind and body. The goal is to sit quietly and pay close attention to where the mind travels without getting too caught up in the scenery.” Then, the participants completed a distraction test, and were found to have an enhanced ability to notice mistakes in comparison to the group who didn’t meditate. “The EEG (electroencephalography) can measure brain activity at the millisecond level, so we got precise measures of neural activity right after mistakes compared to correct responses,” Lin said. “A certain neural signal occurs about half a second after an error called the error positivity, which is linked to conscious error recognition. “We found that the strength of this signal is increased in the meditators relative to controls.” Though meditating didn’t immediately improve actual task performance, these findings suggest that sustained meditation could have beneficial effects on performance. “People’s interest in meditation and mindfulness is outpacing what science can prove in terms of effects and benefits,” Lin said. “But it’s amazing to me that we were able to see how one session of a guided meditation can produce changes to brain activity in non-meditators.” Lin said it was encouraging to see public enthusiasm for mindfulness and meditation, but there was still a lot more to do to understand its benefits and how it works. “It’s time we start looking at it through a more rigorous lens.” The study was published in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/9/9/226" target="_blank">Brain Science</a>. Image: Getty Images

Mind

What could happen when you start meditating every day

Thought about adding meditation to your daily routine? Wellness counsellor Deepak Kashyap reveals four more health benefits you might experience from practising mindfulness meditation on a regular basis. 1. It can complement the treatment of substance abuse If you’re struggling with substance abuse – whether it’s drinking or drugs – there’s no substitute for medical care, and that starts with a discussion with your family doctor. That said, meditation has been shown to be an effective complement to medical treatments for substance abuse, particularly in terms of managing cravings and addictive impulses. In fact, mindfulness-based interventions are increasingly incorporated into medically-supervised programs for substance abuse. 2. You might build a healthier relationship with food You don’t need to be diagnosed with a full-blown eating disorder to have a disordered relationship with food. With 67% of Australians over 18 now considered overweight or obese, it’s quite clear that our patterns of eating (not to mention what we’re eating) are putting our health at risk. A number of studies have shown that mindfulness-based interventions – think mindful eating techniques – can be helpful in addressing disordered eating habits. 3. You might sleep better As a mindfulness coach, I’m very aware of the day-to-day anxieties and worries that can interfere with a good night’s sleep. One of the most effective ways of easing ourselves out of those stresses is through daily meditation. Meditation apps such as Insight Timer offer guided meditations such as Yoga Nidra specifically aimed at relaxing your muscles to help you drift off to sleep. If this is indeed your first attempt at meditation, you’ll likely find the meditation interrupted by thoughts flashing through your mind. It’s important for you to know that this isn’t a failure on your part, and that you aren’t doing anything wrong. Thinking is just what the brain does, as naturally as lungs take in air. The point is to be non-judgmental yet aware of your thoughts, bodily experiences and breath, moment by moment. 4. You might become more compassionate Thanks to the frantic pace of our lives, there seems to be precious little time for compassion. Sadly, that means that we’re often easily frustrated and annoyed not only by others, but by ourselves. By practising mindful meditation on a regular basis, you may find your potential for compassion slowly building. Over time, compassion may become a habitual attitude – and a powerful motivational force. Written by Deepak Kashyap. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/what-might-happen-when-you-start-meditating-every-day">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Mind

What might happen when you start meditating every day

Thought about adding meditation to your daily routine? Wellness counsellor Deepak Kashyap reveals four health benefits you might experience from practising mindfulness meditation on a regular basis. Daily motivation could improve your focus In a world that bombards us with information, it’s hard to tell what deserves our attention – and even harder to give our undivided attention when it’s required. Meditation can be an effective tool in eliminating distractions, allowing us to stay focused on what matters – whether that’s reading the next page of a novel, or completing a presentation for work. A specific branch of mindfulness meditation called Focused Attention Meditation (FAM) can be particularly helpful in developing your powers of concentration. 1. You might stress less A lot of people turn to daily meditation simply because they want to breathe a bit easier – and there’s plenty of scientific evidence to back them up. Spending as little as 10 minutes a day meditating – sitting comfortably, concentrating on your breathing and focusing on being “present” – has the potential to significantly reduce stress. 2. You might love yourself more How many of us can look at our reflection in the mirror and truly say, “I love myself”? Self-acceptance is hard to develop, especially since it’s human nature to regret the decisions we’ve made (or didn’t make!), and compare ourselves to the skinnier, richer and more popular people on our Instagram and Facebook feeds. After regularly practising mindfulness meditation, you may find yourself acknowledging your perceived shortcomings without judging yourself too harshly. Self-acceptance is about recognising that you’re a work in progress – and there’s no such thing as perfection. 3. It may help you bounce back from depression If you struggle with depression, you may find mindfulness meditation particularly helpful. In fact, several studies have shown that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce the risk of a depressive relapse for people with a history of recurrent depression. 4. It can help alleviate anxiety The act of meditation targets the cycle of incessant worrying and negative rumination that’s at the heart of stress and anxiety – to the point where clinical psychologists are increasingly opting for mindfulness-based therapy to treat anxiety and mood disorders. The ability to focus on the present – often achieved in meditation through controlled breathing – can provide a welcome sense of relief if you’re constantly dreading what the future might hold. Written by Deepak Kashyap. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/what-might-happen-when-you-start-meditating-every-day">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a>

Mind

Chris Hemsworth's son steal hearts as he disrupts meditation video

Chris Hemsworth twin son has stolen the spotlight instead of his famous dad. The Thor actor put up a video of him performing an underwater affirmation through his fitness app Centr. "Affirmations That Positively, Absolutely, Probably (Most Likely) Won't Make Your 2020 Worse," Hemsworth said as he sat at the bottom of a pool with goggles on. "Is it just me or is getting harder and harder to find a place where you can just get away from it all, where you can just be? Well, let's find that place together. Close your eyes. Don't breathe in because you're underwater. Imagine you're some place far, far away from wherever you've been stuck lately." "There are no distractions here. Nothing to break your calm. No one demanding your attention," he can be heard saying as he moves his son away from the camera. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG1DGzLpUNb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CG1DGzLpUNb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">When the distractions just won’t stop coming no matter where you go, gently brush them aside. Gently, of course. They have feelings too. @centrfit</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/chrishemsworth/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Chris Hemsworth</a> (@chrishemsworth) on Oct 26, 2020 at 6:41pm PDT </div> </blockquote> Hemsworth's son quickly swims into the frame, much to the annoyance of Hemsworth as he's trying to find peace and tranquillity. <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> "Simply push your worries away until it's just you, and your thoughts and this moment of absolute tranquillity. If there's any distractions, just give them a gentle old shove," he can be heard saying as he nudges his son out of the shot. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838507/hemsworth-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/29a08871d2804bdda5d8a3c746531358" /> "It's just you... and me... and God, this kid. Let's try this another time." he finishes the video. Fans love the video, as it's quickly racked up 1,113,437 views by fans despite being posted two days ago. Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky share twins Sasha and Tristan, 6, and eight-year-old daughter India. He shared with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/new_magazine/?hl=en" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">New! magazine</a> about how he is enjoying the downtime the coronavirus pandemic has given him. "It has been great to be a part of Marvel over the last decade and I've loved the travel and work, but it has meant a lot of time away from home," he said. "To not be dedicated to by a schedule and to be able to have proper quality family time has been amazing." </div>

Family & Pets

Film review: Moffie is a harrowing meditation on white masculinity

In the opening moments of the film <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10699362/">Moffie</a>, Nicholas van der Swart is walking away from a family gathering. As he disappears into the darkness, he is wishing that a part of himself will disappear. It’s 1981. The 16-year-old is about to leave for his two years of <a href="http://www.saha.org.za/youth/the_militarisation_of_the_south_african_state.htm">conscription</a> into the South African army. During <a href="https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/history-apartheid-south-africa">apartheid</a> it was compulsory for white men to serve in the military because South Africa was waging wars against liberation forces on its borders and beyond. Nicholas must enlist to fight the <a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/publication/CWIHP_SouthAfrica_Final_Web.pdf">“communist threat”</a> at the <a href="https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/angolan-civil-war-1975-2002-brief-history">Angolan border</a>. Nicholas is gay. To the Christian nationalist rulers, he is just as much of a threat as the black resistance fighters who are nameless, faceless enemies to be exterminated in the film. Everything that is not <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-lingering-unspoken-pain-of-white-youth-who-fought-for-apartheid-46218">in service of the apartheid state</a>must be extinguished or repressed. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rMOycDIbNTg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> This repression is hammered home for the viewer through the constant verbal assaults that the young men suffer – and mete out – during their military training. In the South Africa portrayed in Moffie, every white character, be it a parent, general, pastor, even a friend, is policing borders and boundaries; there are clear lines that cannot be crossed. Moffie examines the violent persecution of gay men under apartheid. Violence and language The most powerful way that this mental conditioning takes place in the film is through the use of the word <a href="https://dsae.co.za/entry/moffie/e04835">“moffie”</a> (often translated as “faggot”) which those in charge use relentlessly to <a href="https://www.channel24.co.za/Movies/News/watch-marc-lottering-armand-aucamp-pieter-dirk-uys-on-being-called-a-moffie-20200305">insult and control</a> the troops. The scenes of training are often harrowing, and the word comes to be an act of violence on the viewer as well. Its effect is to strip away any resistance, and to associate femininity, diverse sexuality and any emotional range as weakness. To be gay, then, is the ultimate offence against this regime of machismo. The violence of the word is reinforced with physical violence – menial tasks that lead to exhaustion and deprivation – along with other epithets (racist, gender shaming) that destroy any sense of self-worth or individuality. The young recruits are becoming the men that apartheid South Africa needs in order to cling to life: men who are violent, hateful and emotionless. Fear and desire Only in moments of darkness and isolation do the characters feel able to be intimate. In the first scene where Nicholas (Kai Luke Brümmer) is alone with his love interest, Dylan Stassen (Ryan de Villiers), the young men are ordered to spend the night waiting in deep trenches. Their commanding officer, Sergeant Brand (Hilton Pelser), seems to take pleasure in setting a boundary that they cannot cross, to stay in the trenches no matter what, until the sun rises. What Nicholas and Dylan find, trapped in the confines of these limitations on their freedom and movement, is a moment of intimacy, a spark of desire. The fear that Nicholas feels in realising his attraction for Dylan is palpable. He can never be caught, because not only will he be subject to violence, but he will be sent to a mental facility to “cure” him of his desire. These forbidden moments are riddled with anxiety, which seems to rob the boys of the love story which this film might have become. The black body Hermanus is masterful in linking oppressive masculinity to racism in Moffie. I’ve <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1021-14972018000100002">written before</a> about his 2011 film, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1922721/">Skoonheid (Beauty)</a>, and how toxic masculinity and racism place limits on intimacy. Moffie is in many ways a superior film, with striking cinematography emphasising the bleakness of the surroundings and a punching, unnerving score that points to the conflict and anxiety of the characters. The film is bookended by two moments of violence against black characters. The first is when the young conscripts throw a bag of vomit into the face of a black man, demanding he not sit on a bench at a train station. The second is when Nicholas kills a black soldier in combat. Nicholas looking down at the corpse, in the dark of the night that he had once found refuge in, shows how he can never escape the racist and patriarchal duties that define apartheid. There is a similar consciously political placement of black bodies in Skoonheid. Hermanus – a black man – features black characters in two highly charged moments in a film about the secret gay sex lives of white Afrikaner farmers. The one is before a sex scene and the other is on a university campus as Skoonheidreaches its terrible conclusion. Standout performances The actors in Moffie brilliantly portray these moments of being subject to the assault of toxic masculinity, with a particularly strong performance by Matthew Vey, who plays Nicholas’s best friend, Michael. Another strong performance is from Stefan Vermaak, who plays Oscar, the more willing participant in racist and patriarchal ideology. Brümmer’s powerful performance as the central character shows both subtle resistance and then participation as an agent of the apartheid state. At the end, it is unclear whether the young men are able to escape the encroaching ideology that dictates their lives, and whether the moments of refuge and isolation are enough to free them from the memory of the incessant labelling of “moffie” that defined their youth. Moffie is a challenging and deeply affecting film that represents the important, often overlooked realities of living in apartheid for gay men. Written by Grant Andrews. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/film-review-moffie-is-a-harrowing-meditation-on-white-masculinity-133182">The Conversation.</a>

Movies

Inside the story: The Trauma Cleaner - a beautiful meditation on death and decay

Sarah Krasnostein’s <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34964868-the-trauma-cleaner">The Trauma Cleaner</a> has won many awards since it was published in 2017, including the Victorian Prize for Literature and the Australian Book Industry Award General Non-Fiction Book of the Year. While the title may speak of a provocative premise – <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/28/i-started-dry-retching-the-compassion-of-a-trauma-cleaner">what is a trauma cleaner</a>? Are there really jobs like this? – it’s not just the content that makes it a wonderful read, it’s also the writing style. Every word, every sentence, is carefully considered, re-considered and re-considered some more, resulting in what can only be described as beautiful language. I was truly blown away by the power and precision of the prose. Sounds, tastes and smells emanate from the page, creating a visceral experience of protagonist Sandra’s extraordinary, often traumatic, life. Orchestration of words Krasnostein uses exquisite turns of phrase. Language is used to excavate facts and polish ideas that are hard to get rid of – things that stick. As Krasnostein writes, the book is “a catalogue of the ways we die physically and emotionally, and the strength and delicacy needed to lift the things we leave behind”. Introducing her subject, Krasnostein writes: During my time with Sandra, I met a bookbinder, a sex offender, a puppeteer, a cookbook hoarder, a cat hoarder, a wood hoarder […] I heard Sandra bend and flex language into words and idioms she made her own: “supposably”, “sposmatically”, “hands down pat!” It is this careful and playful orchestration of words – facts transformed into a scintillating narrative – that makes the book hard to put down. Every page lures you in, making you hungry for more. Beneath the beautiful language, resonance strikes and asks us to think of our own lives. Expressions hit like a sudden gust of wind. They bring tears to your eyes. We are not asked to feel sad, but to feel what was, and still is, being experienced by these people – to feel the complexity of the circumstances. Imagine Ailsa, the girl who loves to bake, the woman whose cakes are light and high and whose dark religion tells her to fear her effeminate son […] Imagine that baby as a boy frozen in his bed, straining to read the sound of a motor in the driveway over the noise of his own racing heart. Krasnostein’s language evokes in us the visceral aspects of a situation – the pain and pleasure of those involved. She says of Sandra, then still Peter, practising his female voice in the shower when wife Linda is out: “the refrain of thrumming along his veins that signifies his only certainty and which says: you don’t belong here”. Later, of his eventual parting from wife and children towards a new life as Sandra: When he steps around the food flung on the floor or smells the milk turning in bottles in the sink, or when cries momentarily shatter his sleep like a glass flung against a wall, he doesn’t really notice because in his mind he is dancing at [gay club] Annabel’s with Joe. Krasnostein is adept at laying out facts with no judgement or flourish, allowing their trauma to speak to us individually. She refuses to manipulate her readers, instead touching the facts lightly with a sense of perspective: “she will never fear what is ahead of her, only what is behind her”. From one trauma to the next, we learn of the murder of Sandra’s girlfriend, Maria, by a nightclub bouncer. Krasnostein uses repetition to speculate on his motives: Maybe he has it in for her. Maybe he has it in for dykes. Maybe he’s jealous of her. Maybe he’s jealous of the girlfriend. Maybe he’s repulsed that he’s jealous of either of them […] Maybe he just wants to feel the force of bone on muscle. Krasnostein gives us story perspective in a light, non-manipulative way. That last line is sparse yet stark, simple yet powerful. And then this, which winds all the facts into a clean knot that represents the very core of Sandra’s life journey: “Sandra does not need a physics lesson to understand that time dilates; life taught her early that some seconds are cruelly quick and others are tortuously slow”. Krasnostein pores over language, refining it until it says the most it can in the fewest words possible. “Something you might try to ignore, like a full bladder on a cold night”. “What chips some people like a mug cracks others, like an egg”. “The couch is a grave”. Writing of writing The Trauma Cleaner also speaks about the process of its being written, with authority and poignancy: I scrap draft after draft of my timeline and even when I am assisted in my task by Sandra’s recollection, the narrative remains a tangled necklace. Events link into one another only so far before they halt, abruptly, as some great knot where they loop over each other so tightly that some seem to disappear altogether. In some ways, the narrative arc of the book is not Sandra’s own journey, but Krasnostein’s understanding of Sandra and what she represents for all of us. This is achieved with a lightness of touch, the author never getting in the way of the reader’s own interpretations. Krasnostein writes at the start of the book: And here it hits me what it is we are doing by telling this story. It is something at once utterly unfamiliar and completely alien to Sandra: we are clearing away the clutter of her life out of basic respect for the inherent value of the person beneath. And then at the end of the book, after we have witnessed all of Sandra’s trauma, humour and resilience, an ordaining of our protagonist in language that is at once beautiful and beatific: “Sandra, you exist in the Order of Things and the Family of People; you belong, you belong, you belong”. Written by Craig Batty. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/inside-the-story-the-trauma-cleaner-a-beautiful-meditation-on-death-and-decay-127436">The Conversation.</a>

Retirement Life

Meditation for people who can't sit still

Quilt therapy founder Madeline Fernbach claims that quilting is ‘meditation for people who can’t sit still to meditate’. Discover how doing craft can help you feel feel better today! So, what exactly is Quilt Therapy? It was founded by clinical psychologist and self-proclaimed amateur quilter Dr Madeline Fernbach who says Quilt Therapy is an initiative aimed at offering support, inspiration and guidance to those suffering anxiety, depression, trauma or grief. Though tricky to define, most of us intuitively understand what is meant by the term. As quilting is a creative and often times repetitive art form, Quilt Therapy is about using these skills as a way of working through emotional and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Benefits of doing craft Many quilters enjoy the therapeutic benefits of quilting without realising it, whether it’s through quilting as part of a group or making gifts for loved ones or charity. “What makes my idea different is that I want to encourage quilters to express their emotions and their issues by creating quilts just for themselves. Just to express what is going on for them,” she explains. “If someone is making a quilt from the heart, most especially when they are making a quilt entirely for themselves, it can speak volumes. With Quilt Therapy I am trying out ways of encouraging people to express their feelings and work through the darkest emotions they might have.” Craft lowering stress levels In her own case, Madeline was quilting as a way of de-stressing after an emotionally tiring day or week. In her line of work, she understandably comes across a spectrum of challenging issues and on those occasions when she feels flat or overwhelmed, she retreats to her sewing room just after dinner and only emerges when it’s time for bed. “My partner is very understanding so I try not to do this all the time or I wouldn’t have much of a relationship!” she jokes. Madeline became interested in quilting while pregnant, when she was struck by what she terms ‘an inexplicable urge’ to create quilts; first for others and then for herself. “At some point I made the connection between doing therapy and making quilts and realised after an internet search that there really wasn't anything available, either in book or electronic form, that made use of quilts for mental health healing.” Encouraged, Madeline launched the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Quilt-Therapy-530058980373318/timeline/">Quilt Therapy Facebook page</a> as a means of spreading her idea in a way that would reach quilters in both city and rural areas. It was important for Madeline to ensure access to country quilters, as these are the very people least likely to access mental health services. She recognised that, while you can talk a problem through until you’re blue in the face, non-verbal means of expression can be intensely powerful, allowing individuals to represent their ideas visually, often revealing new ways of understanding and dealing with a problem. “Country women have a culture of ‘sucking it up’ and getting on with life and not valuing their own mental health,” Madeline elaborates. “Through expressing things they find difficult to say in words, quilting can be a therapeutic process,” she says, claiming it is equally effective as a ‘timeout’ or escape from distressing situations, helping to sooth and relax. Quilt Therapy can help Combining a mix of gentle cognitive behavioural therapy interventions with new ideals Madeline is trialling, she discovered that the initiatives most enthusiastically received were those relating to community-based projects, which prompted the launch of the Quilt Therapy community projects. “I believe that as people engage with communities and other individuals, they can find a way to deal with their difficulties, moving towards a sense of peace and, hopefully, optimism about the future,” Madeline adds. Of course, the final results don’t need to be perfect. It is all about communication and connections with others. The ultimate objective is not to create a flawless piece of art, but to create a strong and healthy community. Overwhelmed by the initial response on Facebook, with over a thousand ‘likes’ attained in a matter of weeks, word quickly spread. “What has been even more rewarding was that people are willing not only to ‘like’ the page, but also participate. I am hearing stories of people’s losses, their successes, their struggles with mental health issues, and quilting is always a central part of the way through,” she says. Jacqueline Atkinson, Professor of Mental Health Policy at the University of Glasgow, investigated during the study The Relationship Between Quilting and Wellbeing for the Journal of Public Health. This study found that a strong social network fostered the formation of strong friendships. Affirmation from others boosted self-esteem and increased motivation for skill development and using colour was psychologically uplifting. Quilting was challenging, demanded concentration and participants maintained and helped participants learn new skills. Get involved today! Anybody is welcome to get involved, regardless of their sewing level and even Madeline admits she isn’t a great quilter, but her love of the craft renders this irrelevant. “The act of making a quilt, from the planning to the preparation, selection of materials, cutting and sewing, and finally quilting is creative but also repetitive. When an individual’s mind takes off in uncontrollable flights of anxiety, depression or grief, making a quilt soothes the mind and redirects it in a safe, predictable way,” Madeline is careful to state, however, that where possible it is recommended to deal with issues relating to trauma, depression and anxiety with professional help. She adds, “I invite you to come on this creative path, helping to connect people through non-verbal communication.” Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/health/wellbeing/hate-the-idea-of-meditation-discover-why-crafting-is-a-great-alternative-to-help-you-destress-and-feel-great.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Caring

Teach yourself to meditate and beat stress

The whole world cheered when 12 boys stuck in a cave in northern Thailand with their football coach were finally freed on 10 July after spending more than two weeks in the darkness. According to several news sources the 25-year-old coach and former monk Ekapol Chantawong (above) had taught the boys how to meditate to pass the time, keep calm and conserve energy The practice has been credited with helping the boys stay mentally strong throughout their ordeal. So, what is meditation all about and can it really help? What is meditation? There are many types of meditation used by different philosophies, but at the core, meditation requires you to be mindful of the moment. During mindfulness meditation, one tries to redirect distracting thoughts and instead focus on the present. Although simple in theory, as anyone who has tried it can attest, it can be hard to switch off your thoughts even for a few seconds without thinking about work or wanting to check your phone. What are the benefits of meditation? Meditation has been credited with improving not just mental, but physical health as well. Studies have shown that it can increase immune function and reduce chronic pain. Meditation has also been proven to be effective in decreasing instances of depression, anxiety and stress. It can also sharpen your mind, help your focus and attention, and improve your memory, which is why some schools have started teaching students mindfulness techniques. At Westwood Primary School in Singapore, students do a five-minute mindful breathing exercise at recess every day, while students at international school UWCSEA were introduced to mindfulness techniques four years ago. How do I start? As with any new habit, you need to commit to it, much like you would a new exercise routine. Start small with just a few minutes a day. Set aside both time and space as rushing through it would defeat the purpose. Dress comfortably and choose a quiet spot, which means you shouldn’t have the TV on in the background and you’re away from a pet that may wander into your space. Sit cross-legged on the floor or upright on a chair. Don’t lie down as you may fall asleep. When you’re ready, sit quietly, breathe deeply and start observing your feelings at that moment. The key is to acknowledge and accept your thoughts and emotions without attaching any judgement to them. It will be challenging to quiet the noise in your head at first, but it’s important to keep at it until it becomes comfortable. Written by Siti Rohani. This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/teach-yourself-meditate-and-beat-stress?items_per_page=All">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Retirement Life

Improve your brain function with guided mediation

Tracy Adshead is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. She is passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community. In this video, Tracy will guide you through the practice of Kirtan Kriya, which is a guided meditation that helps improve brain function and mental balance. Just 12 minutes of Kirtan Kriya a day can help with mood swings, memory loss and allows for better concentration throughout the day. This practice is also highly recommended by the <a href="http://alzheimersprevention.org/research/12-minute-memory-exercise/">Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation</a> for improved brain function. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z821bz--tVM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Will you be trying out this guided meditation? Let us know in the comments below.

Body

The science behind why mediation helps relieve stress

Michaela Pascoe is a postdoctoral research fellow in Exercise and Mental Health at Victoria University. In Australia, about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17718647">one in six adults</a> practise meditation, while one in 10 practise yoga. People often turn to yoga or meditation as a way to take time out and manage the stress of their day-to-day lives. Stress is common, and ongoing stress can contribute to the onset of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23261775">a range of psychological issues</a>, such as depression and anxiety. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/">Meditation</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3447533/">yoga</a> have been shown to reduce people’s self-reported levels of stress. This is likely due, at least in part, to the effects that meditation and yoga have on the brain’s stress response system. How the brain responds to stress The body’s automatic stress response is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system plays a key role in stress reactivity via its two main divisions: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. A main function of the sympathetic nervous system is to mobilise the body to fight or flee from stressful or threatening situations, via control of internal muscles, organs and glands. This is called the “fight or flight” response. The parasympathetic nervous system counterbalances the sympathetic nervous system and returns the body to its natural baseline state after the systematic nervous system activates. In many cases the parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system have opposing but complementary functions. For example, the sympathetic nervous system increases heart rate, blood pressure and the downstream release of stress-related hormones such as cortisol, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system decreases all of these factors. So by measuring these <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c6c0/dcc3ad330cf46f84fa5cabcacead7e3d4da3.pdf">we can identify</a> if people are experiencing a homeostatic state or a more stressful state, on a physiological level. We <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28863392">reviewed</a> how yoga and different forms of meditation influence the brain’s stress response system by studying physiological markers of stress. What are the different forms of meditation? A common method of classifying meditation techniques distinguishes between <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21254062">open monitoring</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21254062">focused attention</a>, and automatic <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27816783">self-transcending</a> meditation. Open monitoring or mindfulness-based meditations involve the practice of observing the content of our ongoing experience in a non-reactive way, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20041276">to become reflectively aware</a> of cognitive and emotional patterns. Instead of focusing attention on a particular object, the meditator aims to pay attention to and monitor all aspects of experience as they come up, without judgement or attachment. An example would be feeling the sensation of the seat beneath you while meditating. In focused attention meditation, attention is focused and sustained <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16536641">on a particular object</a> and brought back to the object when the mind has wandered. In this way, the meditator is controlling their own attention. The object the person focuses on may be the breath, a mantra, visualisation, a part of the body, or an external object. Each time the meditator notices that their attention wanders, they actively bring it back to their object of attention. Automatic self-transcending involves the use of a mantra, usually Sanskrit sounds, which the meditator can attend to without effort or concentration. The aim is that the mantra becomes secondary and ultimately disappears as self-awareness increases. In automatic self-transcending meditation, the mind should be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20167507">free from focus</a> and mental effort. It is practised for 15–20 minutes twice a day while sitting with closed eyes. What the evidence says We found that meditation and yoga reduce diastolic blood pressure (the lower range) by 3-8 millimetres of mercury (mmHg), compared with people who engaged in another activity, such as aerobic exercise or relaxation. Both focused attention and automatic self-transcending meditation styles, as well as yoga, reduced systolic blood pressure (the upper range) by 4-5mmHg, compared with people who were not practising any kind of meditation or yoga. This is important because reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure of as little as two mmHg can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24585007">reduce the incidence</a> of heart disease and stroke. Open monitoring and focused attention meditation and yoga reduced heart rate by three to four beats per minute. This is similar to the effects of aerobic exercise, which <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2094526/">reduced heart rate</a> by five beats per minute in one study. Focused attention meditations and yoga both decreased measures of cortisol. Our findings indicate that all forms of meditation studied reduce physiological stress markers in one way or another, and therefore, all forms are likely beneficial in managing stress. In terms of deciding what form is best for reducing stress, we would suggest practising a form that is enjoyable and therefore you will practise regularly and in an ongoing manner. While understanding the different types of meditation is useful, meditation classifications <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20167507">should not be considered</a> to be mutually exclusive, either within a single meditation session or over a lifetime of practice. Most meditative techniques lie <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2001-16215-001">somewhere on a continuum</a> between open monitoring and focused attention types. Written by Michaela Pascoe. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/97777/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></a>

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