Originally published June 30 2005
Meditators feel mental, physical health has improved; study suggests meditation lengthens life
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to The Times-Picayune, evidence seems to support what two New Orleans lawyers who meditate daily believe: Meditation reduces the stress that can break down an individual's mind and spirit, and a recent study published in the American Journal of Cardiology suggests those who meditate may even enjoy a longer life.
In moments of stillness and quiet focus, Mayra Scheurmann and Teresa Leyva Martin find relief from the stresses of the day.
The two sisters, both lawyers in New Orleans, meditate daily, dedicating as much as a half-hour in the evenings to the ancient mind-body practice.
"I find that it just helps me to feel centered," said Martin, who began learning meditation six years ago, about the same time as her sister.
A tradition that spans denominational and secular lines, meditation is a practiced mindfulness that has been shown to have measurable health benefits, especially by promoting relaxation and reducing the stress that can wear down bodies and minds.
A study published this spring in the American Journal of Cardiology even suggests longer life spans for people who practice mental relaxation techniques such as Transcendental Meditation, the technique thrust into the spotlight in the 1960s when the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced it to the Beatles and other celebrities.
Welsh instructs a small class in Zen meditation, one of the myriad styles of meditation, Tuesday mornings at Elmwood Fitness Center.
The students, utterly still with one upturned hand on the other, inhaled and exhaled audibly, using the rhythms of their breathing as a focal point during the meditation.
After five minutes, Welsh rang the bell three more times to signal the end of the session.
"I will take five minutes right before to calm down, become centered and focused on what I have to do.
The prospect of stress reduction draws many people to meditation, said Hans Gruenig, who has taught courses on meditation for stress reduction and personal growth at Wild Lotus Yoga.
Lou Stewart, a local feng shui consultant, said meditation helps create an anchor of peacefulness for the day.
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