The Medicine of Meditation

Meditation and medicine share a common thread, the root word "med", meaning a thoughtful act to create order. Both as a nurse practitioner and as a yoga teacher, I have come to understand the importance of integrating more "thoughtful" acts into my life, in the form of mindfulness and meditation practices.

We have all heard the buzzword meditation, but what is it all about? The topic of meditation is making its way into mainstream media, medical journals, and when we hear this word most of us envision a yogi on a pristine mountain top looking worry-free and completely content.

Lets face it, most of us have incredibly busy lives and we are trying to keep up with the fast-paced world we are living in, and we wonder how can we add anything else to our routine?

As challenging as it may be, I can assure you, devoting time to meditation is well worth the commitment.

In my experience, patients typically have immense difficulty adopting a habit until they understand WHY it is important, what are the benefits, and why should I make time for this is my already hectic day?

So I am here to demystify meditation for you.

Eastern medicine has been an incredible source of inspiration for me, and I am passionate about blending my knowledge of western and eastern medicine to help my patients heal.

Buddhism emphasizes spending more time in the present moment. Not living in the past, not obsessing about the future, but truly living in the NOW. The channel for connecting to the present moment is our breath. The breath is an avenue for awareness, and ultimately will guide us in finding inner peace. Chinese medicine refers to this state as “chi”, the vital life force, that restores the mind and body to a balanced state through practices that keep us present.

I began my own meditation journey when I spent a month in Costa Rica training to become a yoga teacher. For one month, we woke up at 5 am, did not use technology, and remained in complete silence until after our meditation practice was complete. I can honestly say this was one of the most powerful and eye-opening experiences of my life and I have practiced daily meditation ever since.

Meditation is becoming increasingly known for its physical and mental health benefits. Meditation enhances cognition, memory, and neuroplasticity, and is incredibly calming for the mind and spirit. On a physiologic level, meditation activates one of the main cranial nerves, your vagus nerve, to connect to your parasympathetic nervous system, your state of rest and digest. We are spending less and less time in this state, leaving us feeling frazzled, anxious, and overstimulated.

So how can you integrate these practices in YOUR life?

I have two suggestions that I find hugely impactful for patients.

Number one: Spend 3-5 minutes of your day focusing on your breath. The good news is.. this can be done ANYWHERE!

Repeat the mantra Inhale and Exhale, and when you get distracted, bring your attention back to your breath.

Start small.

There is no right or wrong, it's a practice.

Number two: Do what brings you joy and do it more often.

Finding that state of chi involves doing activities that fully capture your attention, where you lose track of time and are fully in the moment.

For me, that is yoga, writing, seeing patients as a functional medicine NP, reading, relaxing by the ocean, and spending time with loved ones.

Find what this activity is for you. It is an amazing opportunity to rediscover who you are and what you love.

Happy meditating!