{"id":385,"date":"2014-11-03T22:30:14","date_gmt":"2014-11-03T22:30:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/?p=385"},"modified":"2014-11-03T22:32:34","modified_gmt":"2014-11-03T22:32:34","slug":"reactivating-instincts-through-meditation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/reactivating-instincts-through-meditation\/","title":{"rendered":"Reactivating Our Instincts Through Meditation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Our previous blog post, <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">&#8220;<a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" title=\"Do humans have instincts?\" href=\"http:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/do_humans_have_instincts\/\" >Do humans have instincts<\/a>?&#8221;<\/span>, discussed the theory of human instincts.\u00a0 It was mentioned that we can reactivate our human instincts, which currently lay dormant, so that we can access them to deal with daily stressors.\u00a0 In order to reactivate our instincts we must get in touch with our \u201cwild side\u201d and connect with our surroundings.\u00a0 This can be done through meditation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-386\" src=\"http:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Meditation.jpg\" alt=\"Meditation\" width=\"562\" height=\"316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Meditation.jpg 624w, https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Meditation-300x168.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Reactivating Our Instincts Through Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In order to reactivate our instincts, we must free our minds and heighten our awareness.\u00a0 This can be done through meditation.\u00a0 Meditation is a practice that induces relaxation through <strong>focus <\/strong>and<strong> reflection<\/strong>.\u00a0 It has been known to promote many physical and mental health benefits.\u00a0 The practice of meditation <strong>affects the body in the opposite way that stress does<\/strong>.\u00a0 It allows the body to release stress that has accumulated, while simultaneously preventing stress from entering the body.\u00a0 Meditation has been scientifically proven, with the use of fMRI scans, to reduce the Beta waves in the brain, which gives the brain an opportunity to relax and reboot.\u00a0 This restores the body to a tranquil state, which <strong>helps the body repair itself<\/strong>, as well as helping to prevent new damage caused by the physical effects of stress.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Benefits of Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are many benefits brought about by the practice of meditation.\u00a0 Physical benefits of meditation are a result of an increase in energy in every cell of the body.\u00a0 This increase in energy changes the physiology of the body.<\/p>\n<p>Some <em>physical benefits<\/em> of meditation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Heart rate and breathing slow down<\/li>\n<li>Body uses oxygen more efficiently<\/li>\n<li>Adrenal glands produce less cortisol (stress hormone)<\/li>\n<li>You sweat less<\/li>\n<li>Your mind ages at a slower rate<\/li>\n<li>Blood pressure normalizes; lowers high blood pressure<\/li>\n<li>Decreased tension-related pain<\/li>\n<li>Increase in serotonin levels to improve mood and behavior<\/li>\n<li>Improved function of immune system<\/li>\n<li>Increase in energy levels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Mental benefits of meditation are a result of brainwaves entering an Alpha state that promotes healing, rather than a Beta state that causes stress.\u00a0 This allows one to clear their mind and bring about the following benefits.<\/p>\n<p>Some <em>mental benefits<\/em> of meditation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Decreased anxiety<\/li>\n<li>Improved emotional stability<\/li>\n<li>Increased creativity<\/li>\n<li>Increased feelings of overall happiness<\/li>\n<li>Ability to focus more easily<\/li>\n<li>Improved memory<\/li>\n<li>Expanded consciousness<\/li>\n<li>Increased self-awareness<\/li>\n<li>Gained perspective<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It has also been found that people who meditate regularly find it easier to give up addictive, life-damaging habits like smoking, drugs, and alcohol.<\/p>\n<p>Meditation allows one to experience the higher states of consciousness where one is able to live in the moment and let go of the past.\u00a0 With this mindset, disturbances that may occur in daily life become insignificant.\u00a0 Meditation teaches us to <strong>\u201clet go\u201d<\/strong> in a sense that we cannot control everything.\u00a0 This is partially due to the gain in perspective that meditation provides us.\u00a0 Through meditation we are able to <strong>focus <\/strong>and <strong>reflect<\/strong>, often gaining an<strong> appreciation for life<\/strong>.\u00a0 This allows us to see things differently, from a new perspective, and makes our \u201cproblems\u201d appear smaller than we originally thought.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to Meditate<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Many people shy away from meditation because they find it intimidating.\u00a0 How do you meditate?\u00a0 Am I doing this right?\u00a0 I cannot concentrate.\u00a0 I can\u2019t sit still.\u00a0 I keep getting distracted.\u00a0 I feel like I am wasting my time.\u00a0 These are just a few of the many statements beginners may think while trying to pursue meditation.\u00a0 I am not going to lie, meditation does require practice and patience, but don\u2019t be discouraged.\u00a0 Once you tackle that first obstacle of learning how to practice and sustain meditation, it becomes easier.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some simple steps to help you get started:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Find somewhere relatively quiet to practice.<\/li>\n<li>Sit up straight so that your spine is erect (you may sit in a chair, on the ground, etc.) and relax all other part of your body. Close your eyes.<\/li>\n<li>Starting at your toes, move your attention up your body, consciously releasing all tension. Work from your toes to the soles of your feet to your ankles\u2026 and continue until you reach the top of your head.<\/li>\n<li>Once you are relaxed and all tension is released, turn your attention to your breathing. Do not try to control your breathing, just be aware of how your body moves when you inhale and exhale.\u00a0 If your mind starts to wander pull your attention back to your breathing and count to 10.\u00a0 Use your breathing as an anchor to keep your attention from drifting away.<\/li>\n<li>When first starting out, try to maintain a meditative state for around 5 minutes. As you grow more confident, gradually increase your time.\u00a0 Try to work towards the goal of meditating for 15 minutes per day.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Once you begin meditating it is important to sustain the practice.\u00a0 <strong>Try to make time everyday to sit and meditate, even if it is just for a few minutes.<\/strong>\u00a0 Throughout the day, try to be aware of your body and your breath.\u00a0 We want to establish a connection with the two.\u00a0 If there are times when you forget to meditate, it is never too late to start again.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_387\" style=\"width: 495px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-387\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-387 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Mindfulness-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Mindfulness\" width=\"485\" height=\"322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Mindfulness-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Mindfulness.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-387\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lotus flowers are often associated with practices like yoga and meditation. The lotus flower is the symbol for the lotus pose in yoga, where one crosses their legs and sits quietly on the floor. The lotus pose is also often used as a base for meditation.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Being Mindful<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The practice of meditation strengthens our abilities of concentration and mindfulness.\u00a0 It is sometimes difficult to distinguish the difference between the two.\u00a0 Concentration is our ability to focus our attention on one thing.\u00a0 For example, students must concentrate when studying for exams in order to do well.\u00a0 Mindfulness is the ability to focus one\u2019s awareness on the present moment.\u00a0 While being mindful, one accepts the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that are experienced <strong>without passing judgment<\/strong>.\u00a0 Mindfulness is about <strong>acknowledging <\/strong>and <strong>accepting <\/strong>your thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they come.\u00a0 An example of mindfulness would be paying close attention to your <strong>actions <\/strong>and <strong>perceptions <\/strong>as you participate in everyday activities, like drinking a glass of water.\u00a0 What does the glass feel like in your hands?\u00a0 Is there any condensation dripping down the sides?\u00a0 What does it feel like when pressed to your lips?\u00a0 Feel the water move from your lips, where it entered your body, to the back of your mouth and down your throat.\u00a0 Is the water cold?\u00a0 Being mindful is being aware <strong>moment-by-moment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Although different, mindfulness and concentration work together.\u00a0 Without concentration, mindfulness is difficult to sustain and without mindfulness, concentration is not productive.\u00a0 Therefore it is important to recognize and develop a <strong>balance <\/strong>between the two, which can be done through meditation.\u00a0 This helps us to find <strong>inner peace<\/strong> and <strong>stability<\/strong> that may be helpful in overcoming stress.\u00a0 Through meditation and mindfulness we learn how to <strong>understand our own minds<\/strong>.\u00a0 This understanding can help us overcome negative thoughts and support the cultivation of positive thoughts.<\/p>\n<p>It is through this concept of being mindful that we are able to connect with our indigenous selves.\u00a0 <strong>We are able to become attune to the happenings of the present moment, acknowledging them and accepting them as they occur without passing judgment.<\/strong>\u00a0 We become attune with our bodies, allowing us to recognize things that we might not have noticed otherwise.\u00a0 This may include primal sensations, remnants of our instincts.\u00a0 <strong>The more we practice meditation, strengthening our abilities to concentrate and be mindful, the closer we can get to becoming attune with our bodies and instincts.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our previous blog post, &#8220;Do humans have instincts?&#8221;, discussed the theory of human instincts.\u00a0 It was mentioned that we can reactivate our human instincts, which currently lay dormant, so that we can access them to deal with daily stressors.\u00a0 In order to reactivate our instincts we must get in touch with our \u201cwild side\u201d and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=385"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":399,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/385\/revisions\/399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yourhealthandlongevity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}