Our resident meditation teacher Ashleigh Guthrie has been encouraging all the team at ØNE aesthetic studiø to meditate, and regularly holds sound healing meditation sessions, and Cacao ceremonies for small groups in our studio relaxation room.
Primarily meditation increases awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people swear it improves their concentration and reduces stress.
People also use the practice to develop other beneficial habits and feelings, such as a positive mood and outlook, self-discipline, healthy sleep patterns and even increased pain tolerance.
ØNE’s Operations Manager, Tina Robinson agrees. She said:
“Since I have started meditating regularly, I have an increased sense of peace and general calm in my life. I would also say I have better clarity in my thinking, increased ability to concentrate and I think its really developing my intuition too.”
According to Ashleigh, meditating doesn’t need to be a time taking chore.
She explains: “If you were under the impression that meditating requires endless hours of sitting still, and reading spiritual self help books, think again.
“You can have a powerful session in 20 minutes and then go about your day.
“One of the main goals of meditation is to gain power over any distractions. It helps you to get focused on a goal and follow through.
“Studies have shown that the moment you wake up is your most creative moment of the day.
“If you had a good night’s sleep and your subconscious was allowed to wander freely and make necessary connections, you are at your best when you open your eyes.
“You can enhance this feeling by implementing morning meditation.
“Set 20 minutes aside to calm your mind and reflect on the goals you’ve set for yourself.
“Once you master the skill of meditation, you’ll be able to use it anytime, anywhere, to get your focus back.
So why are we doing it? The simple answer is – because it works.
Nearly half the population in the world will struggle with insomnia at some point.
A variety of meditation techniques can help you relax and control the “runaway” thoughts that can interfere with sleep. This can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and increase sleep quality.
Tina confirms meditation helps her sleep better.
“I can sit with my thoughts and breath deeply for as little as five mins, and this will change my state from anxious to calm. Meditation helps me drift off to sleep especially as I can suffer from tinnitus.”
Becoming skilled in meditation may help you control or redirect the racing or “runaway” thoughts that often lead to insomnia.
Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward yourself and others.
Metta, a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward yourself.
This is the most common reason people start meditating, to help with the everyday stresses of life.
Normally, mental and physical stress cause an increase in levels of the stress hormone ‘cortisol’ This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals called cytokines.
These effects can create disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure and contribute to fatigue, racing mind (otherwise known as other thinking) and panic attacks.
Ashleigh is a firm believer that meditation reduces stress.
She said: “My stress levels have been reduced as I have learnt to ‘sit in my situation’ instead of constantly seeking escapisms from the external world. Meditation helps me to go onwards and feel through overwhelming emotions such as fear and grief.”
Research has shown that meditation may also improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia.
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Less stress translates to less anxiety.
It is also known to alleviate anxiety disorders, such as phobias, social anxiety, paranoid thoughts and obsessive-compulsive behaviours.
Ashleigh’s experience with meditation has helped with her sometimes racing brain and ‘fear of the unknown’ which often leads to anxiety.
“My overthinking and anxiety about the future has been reduced since I started regularly meditating, as I have much more trust in myself.
“Because I feel connected to the universe, I feel less alone in the world.”
Meditation may also help control job-related anxiety in pressured work environments.
Some forms of meditation can also lead to an improved self-image and more positive outlook on life.
Some forms of meditation can improve depression and create a more positive outlook on life. Research shows that maintaining an ongoing habit of meditation may help you maintain these benefits long term.
Some forms of meditation may help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself, helping you grow into your ‘best self’.
For example, self-inquiry meditation explicitly aims to help you develop a greater understanding of yourself, controlling your thoughts and searching for answers within yourself.
Ashleigh points out: “I have found that meditation has increased my levels of self awareness and self acceptance, allowing me to let go of a lot of limiting beliefs and conditionings that have been placed on my shoulders over the years.
“I am much more mindful of the language that I speak. I like to bring in imagination and childlike curiosity with my meditation practices, it’s a bit like day dreaming for me!”
Other forms of meditation can help you control harmful or self-defeating thoughts. The idea is that as you gain greater awareness of your thought habits, you can steer them toward more constructive patterns.
Focused-attention meditation is like weight lifting for your attention span. It helps increase the strength and endurance of your attention.
Even meditating for a short period may benefit you. Several types of meditation may build your ability to redirect and maintain attention. As little as four days of meditation can improve your ability to concentrate.
Ashleigh agrees: “Previously I would get bored quite quickly but meditation has taught me how to more centred and present with myself.”
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People practice many different forms of meditation, most of which don’t require specialized equipment or space. You can practice with just a few minutes daily.
If you want to start meditating, try choosing a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it.
Meditation is something everyone can do to improve their mental and emotional health.
For more information on our meditation and sound healing sessions please contact Ashleigh on courage.freedom.joy@gmail.com or info@oneaestheticstudio.com 01625585990