A friend recently commented that most people living in the cities are between one of three things \u2013 between jobs, apartments, or relationships. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s an interesting observation and while it may not be true for everyone, there\u2019s no doubt that for most of us things seem to be unpredictable and in a constant flux. Everyone seems to be grappling for some sense of security, be it in their careers or relationships.<\/p>\n
\nUnderstanding Stress \u2013 The Natural Defense Mechanism<\/b><\/p>\n
Like every other IT professional, I live a sedentary but stressful life. Since stress, anxiety and depression have become commonplace, especially in this industry, I decided to put my research skills to use and combat stress and anxiety with knowledge. After all, how hard can it be? <\/p>\n
But I must say, when I started investigating I became even more anxious! I learnt that stress is the natural mechanism of the body to cope with and fight against danger in our environment. This is good news, right? Not quite. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a problem because we experience it day after day. When we are under pressure, the in-built, natural growth mechanism stops and our mind and body switch to survival mode.<\/p>\n
Now, it would come in handy if we were at war or coping with a natural calamity. But obviously that\u2019s not the case. Even in the most mundane or civilized existence we live today, far removed from ferocious wild beasts or with no disaster or \u201cgrave danger\u201d at hand, we experience the same level of stress, even in the most commonplace situations, whether we\u2019re stuck in traffic or in the middle of an argument at work or home.<\/p>\n
Also read: : Tips for a deep sleep<\/a><\/p>\n When we undergo stress on a daily basis, it spells disaster for our nervous system, immunity, and mental and physical well-being – they all deteriorate. Over time, our performance diminishes because, although stress can bring out great results in a crisis situation, our body cannot sustain it for the long-term and it wasn\u2019t meant to. It\u2019s like running a car on full throttle for extended periods \u2013 eventually it leads to wear and tear of the internal parts. Likewise, our human system shatters from a continuous and extensive onslaught of stress.<\/p>\n You will appreciate the irony \u2013 after studying the topic I was even more stressed. So what is the solution? How do we tackle this monster that afflicts so many of us?<\/p>\n As many of us want to do, I approached my friends for guidance. Not unsurprisingly, I got the usual advice from close friends.<\/p>\n One said, \u201cJoin a gym and work out,\u201d while another recommended, \u201cEat healthy\u201d. Yet another said, \u201cSleep early and avoid drinking coffee,\u201d and the list goes on and on. As well-intentioned as it might have been, the counsel offered me no solace. <\/p>\n I have tried all these so far but to no avail. Most importantly though, I know people who work out every day and seem no less stressed. What, then, is the key to a life devoid of tension?<\/p>\n Sometimes, the simplest things are the most effective. In all of my research, one word kept popping up consistently: meditation. I decided to get into this wholeheartedly and joined some of my family members who practice Heartfulness meditation <\/a> for stress relief.<\/p>\n Personally speaking, I found that day in and day out, my attention had been drawn mostly outwards. Moreover, when thoughts were scattered, the power of thought decreased, and I would lose focus. <\/p>\n However, fortunately when I started meditating on the heart, in Heartfulness Meditation, my attention was directed inwards, and I gradually learnt to ignore my thoughts. And thus, the tendency to get distracted slowly reduced.<\/p>\n With continuous practice, my energy started flowing inwards and I learnt to retain energy naturally. My mind wasn\u2019t wasting energy on unnecessary thoughts and stimuli anymore. Instead my heart started acting as a guide. <\/p>\n Try as I might, it\u2019s difficult to put into words my stupendous experience; you have to experience it yourself to know what it feels like \u2013 it\u2019s truly an ethereal feeling. I became very happy and content as my anxiety due to chronic stress started decreasing and my mind started functioning in a healthy way. It almost felt like new life was breathing into my body, mind, and heart.<\/p>\n Within three months of Heartfulness practice <\/a>, I started noticing a genuine change in several respects. In terms of my emotional state, I find that I am more relaxed and happy throughout the day. With regards to my work, my performance has increased. On a personal level, I appreciate life better. <\/p>\n It wouldn\u2019t be an exaggeration to say that \u201cthe effects of exploring the subject of meditation <\/a> are similar to how a thirsty person would feel when offered water\u201d. Those of you who\u2019ve never experienced the benefits of meditation<\/a> for stress relief or eliminating depression may find this metaphor not just hard to relate to but hard to believe. <\/p>\n For this reason, dear readers, I would like to emphasize upon you yet again that reading about it is not enough! If you are thirsty, dive in, and take a drink. Experience it, and you will appreciate it better. Meditate, shake off your worries, enjoy lasting peace, and stay healthy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A friend recently commented that most people living in the cities are between one of three things \u2013 between jobs, apartments, or relationships. It\u2019s an interesting observation and while it may not be true for everyone, there\u2019s no doubt that for most of us things seem to be unpredictable and in a constant flux. Everyone seems to be grappling for…… Read More<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8116"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8116"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11858,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8116\/revisions\/11858"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writenode.heartfulness.org\/ke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThe Negative Effects of Stress on Mind and Body<\/b><\/p>\n
\nHow did Heartfulness Meditation help?<\/b><\/p>\n
\nMeditation for Stress Relief \u2013 The Ultimate Technique<\/b><\/p>\n