Mindfulness Meditation at Healthy Treadmills Losing Weight

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Learn The Ancient Art Of Healing Though Meditation

Part One of Six

Course introduction

As a psychic, medium and qualified holistic healer, I often give guidance to those seeking a way of clearing stress and ‘back luck’ philosophies out of their lives. Regaining an optimistic, calm mind is by far the most beneficial way to combat such patterns of thinking, which is possible to achieve with intent that can be delivered through the practise of meditation. There are other reasons why people choose to meditate, it can be as simple as wanting ‘time out’ to more complex reasons such as achieving spiritual pinnacles. People also harvest the health benefits that come from meditation, such as lowering blood pressure. Unfortunately, there is still a high anecdote which suggests that meditation belongs only in Tibetan monasteries with mantra humming monks sitting in strange positions. It’s true, that is where meditation derives from, but the modern world has finally grasped the idea that we are more than mind and body, we are also spirit.
Meditation has a lot to offer us in this often frenzied and demanding world of today and thankfully, society is more accepting of practises such as meditation. We see evidence of this through the many classes’ like yoga and tai chi which are more frequently taught and learnt. Both of those relaxation techniques are a form of moving meditation, which is as its name suggests, is meditation that requires bodily movement. Many of us have heard of meditation of one type or another, yet still have no idea what’s really involved or how it can presumably help and it’s because of those people that I’ve compiled this guide. So let’s start at the beginning by answering your question of “Why should I meditate”?

Find a comfortable place to sit, with back straight but not rigid…

So why meditate?

There are multiple ways to induce the medative state of mind and each technique is designed to achieve the same thing, to gain a balanced state of mind for inner reflection and a restful state of being. Sounds good, so let’s take away the mysticism and preconceptions that meditation has been shrouded in for many years and discuss why you may enjoy and benefit from practising meditation. For those who accept that we are more than mind and body will understand if I use the explanation of: Spiritual energies/vibrations rise within the medative state of mind, which induces a deep self reflection and understanding. That moment of ‘self’ will enable us to notice what we would'nt normally see. But for those of you who don’t yet fully accept or understand that we are mind, body and spirit just yet, all of that will sound like jargon. Since this is a guide for beginners a like, I’ve broken down the benefits into three categories, mind, body and spirit.
I promise to leave out all talk of spiritual energy. This should help give you a more compliant idea of why meditation has healing benefits. (We’ll cover exactly how our spiritual energy centres (chakras) are affected by meditation in a later lesson, when you’re more comfortable with the idea of the term ‘holistic’.)

• Mind
  In each day we come across things that make us uncomfortable, stressed even. At that particular time, we don’t realise how much this actually affects us in the long run. The moment may seem small and insignificant at that time but if you look at the big picture, all those small incidents add up. Those thoughts, moments and memories could result in nights of strange dreams and built up tension. Meditation is an amazing release of such thoughts that tend to build up without our recognition, as we clear our sub-conscious mind of any negative thought patterns. Mediation is an excellent way to harness true relaxation, it’s even noted by most who meditate that a twenty meditation is 100% more effective to our state of mind and emotion than a typical half an hour relaxation and is also the equivalent to getting two hours sleep. Meditation is also believed to be far more effective than relaxation because it has the power to unlock these repressed emotional and mental influences, thus bringing forward a renewed energy flow, releasing stored negative and unwanted energies.
  
  
• Body
  We know that being stressed can have a very negative effect on the mind and emotions, but did you know that the state of mind affects our physical health too. For example, raising our blood pressure, inducing headaches, being ‘run down’ and becoming susceptible to catching common viruses like the cold. So common sense would suggest to us that relaxation (the opposite of being stressed) would lower blood pressure and raise our immune system. Repressed emotional and mental influences can be stored in any part of our physical body so finding a way to release those stored energies must be a benefit, which can be achieved with the regular practise of meditation.
  
  
• Spirit
  Because we are actively paying attention to our mind, body and spirit, during meditation, we will inactively or actively pursue spiritual awareness. In simple terms, this means we are taking a holistic approach to our personal and spiritual attachment to this world. When our mind becomes separated from our bodies in this manor, it introduces freedom to seek and freedom from all the things that bring us down. It helps regain our spiritual strength to go on, not only that, it also gives us offers practice to clear our own thoughts from our minds, to bring our minds to stand still, to allow messages from spirit to be easier heard! To really know ones self, it is believed we have to look within. There are also good ways to envisage what our spirit guides might look like, or to search for answers in our own sub-conscious world of imagery. The possibilities of our own minds are endless and we can tap into that power and endless stored knowledge passed down from generations of our genetic and spiritual constitute through the practise of meditation.

“Inner exploration is to find a way to be more optimistic and less influenced by the negative people in your life, change the way you think and how you view things with true honesty and pure reflection.”

Mindfulness Meditation in Western Society

Meditation has become extremely popular in western society in the recent years however; it has existed for thousands of years and has obviously passed the test of time in various other cultures. Meditation has in fact survived 4500 years of political upheaval and socioeconomic transition (Andreson, 2000). If meditation was not beneficial would it still be around and being practiced thousands of years later? Probably not.

The word meditation tends to cause confusion in many people due to it being unknown or regarded as somewhat metaphysical, new age, or associated with a special dogma or religion. Well as just discussed there is nothing new about meditation and I believe that the foundation for meditation in its purity is not confusing or complex. The very essence of meditation is simplicity, but as Ayaja states in his psychotherapy text, “simplicity is often the most complicated thing” (Ajaya, 1983, 126). I genuinely believe this statement to be accurate in especially western society’s way of life.

Life consists of simple principles, however human beings tend to complicate them within their minds rather than living and being from the soul. I know for my life, I choose to keep meditation and living as simple as possible. I think Stephen Levine says it best when he discussed meditation in his book, A Gradual Awakening, “meditation is for many a foreign concept, somehow distant and foreboding, seemingly impossible to participate in. But another word for meditation is simply awareness. Meditation is awareness” (Levine, 1989, 1). Now, this explanation is indeed workable and practical to an individual wanting to become involved in meditation.

Within this paper, I will offer a simple explanation of the process of meditation, its psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits as well as a brief description of my personal experience.

There are several types of meditation, however Levine states that “differences in these techniques are basically due to the primary object which is concentrated on through the process” (Levine, 1989, 8). Thus, I will base this paper on mindfulness meditation (Vipassanna) which involves directly participating in each moment as it occurs with as much awareness and understanding as possible. In my opinion this is the simplest and most effective form of meditation and actually a very enlightened way to live your daily life. We live “now” right in this moment and that is what this type of meditation proposes. After all, as Goleman (1972a) states, “the goal of all meditation systems, whatever the ideological orientation or source…is to transform the waking state through the fruits of practice – to die to the life of the ego and be reborn to a new level of experience” (155).

As previously discussed, the focus of this paper will be mindfulness meditation rather than concentration meditation which is what usually comes to mind when the word meditation is mentioned. While concentration meditation focuses on the attention of a single object, mantra, or deity, mindfulness meditation includes a more dynamic inclusive field of observation. It is inclusive of the depth that surrounds us rather than shutting the world out, which is more practical for the average participant in western society (Tacon, 2003 ). It was also suggested by Kabat-Zinn (1994) that mindfulness may be beneficial to many people in western society who might be unwilling to adopt Buddhist traditions or vocabulary. Thus, mindfulness meditation is considerably more appropriate for our society than discussing the full range of meditation techniques from eastern traditions, due to its simplicity, practicality and perceived detachment from eastern philosophies and religions.

Rather than try to choose one definition to describe what mindfulness meditation is, I will present a variety of views from those familiar with this specific practice in order to get the point across more succinctly. First of all, mindfulness meditation is more specifically called “insight meditation” in Buddhist traditions, or vipassanna which is sanskrit and means “to see clearly.”

Mindfulness meditation is a large part of Buddhism as well as Zen practice; however it can be successfully practiced detached from these traditions. As previously mentioned it is not necessary to be a practicing Buddhist to enjoy the fruits of mindfulness meditation (Levey & Levey, 1999). At this time I will present varied definitions or descriptions of what mindfulness meditation actually is.

Tacon (2003) describes mindfulness meditation as a “form of meditation that involves stimuli from the field of consciousness rather than the exclusion of stimuli, as in concentration meditation” (67).

Kabat-Zinn (1994) states that mindfulness meditation is “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” (108).

Levey and Levey (1999) describe mindfulness meditation in the following way: “mindfulness liberates us from memories of past and fantasies of future by bringing reality of the present moment clearly into focus” (89). They also state that “mindfulness makes us more aware of life’s everyday miracles” (89).

Dunn, Hartigan, and Mikulas (1999) state that “mindfulness practice involves open receptivity and awareness to all stimuli, while evaluation, analysis or classification of those stimuli is suppressed” (p.148).

Ruth Baer states “mindfulness is the nonjudgmental observation of the ongoing streams of internal and external stimuli as they arise” (2003, p. 125).

• “Sensations arise in the body, Thoughts arise in the mind. They come and go like bubbles…”

Although each of these passages utilize different terminology to articulate what mindfulness meditation is; the overall consensus comes down to “being present in life.” In my personal opinion, this may well be the secret that all human beings have been searching for outside of themselves. Being present in the moment is very simple, yet profound. Most people will likely say, “There has got to be more to living than this.” Is there? Mindfulness meditation focuses on all areas of our being. Levey and Levey (1999) present a variety of these areas in their book, Simple Meditation and Relaxation. These elements of the human being include being mindful or aware of your sense without judgement, being aware of your emotions with acceptance, maintaining awareness of your thinking and allowing thoughts to flow by, just noticing. Another two vital areas include being aware of your breathing as well as what is going on with your body (pp. 95-97). What it comes down to is being aware of what is going on for you in each moment. To further articulate this I will provide various excerpts from a mindfulness meditation by Stephen Levine (1989).

• “Find a comfortable place to sit, with back straight but not rigid…”
• “Keep your attention at one precise point and note the sensation that accompanies each breath…”
• “Sounds arise. Thought arise. Other sensations arise. All background, arising and passing away…”
• “Don’t get lost. If the mind pulls away, gently, with a soft non-judging, non-clinging awareness, return to the breath…”
• “Moment to moment awareness of whatever arises, whatever exists” (pp. 32-36).

My hope is that these excerpts further clarify mindfulness meditation to the reader. Levine is a master when it comes to simplicity in one’s life as well as having the capacity to make meditation practical and efficient. Next, I would like to discuss a variety of interventions using mindfulness followed by research demonstrating the psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits. Mindfulness meditation is truly a holistic application and this will be shown through the research findings discussed in this article.

Interventions

As previously discussed meditation has been around for thousands of years, however has only recently been integrated into psychotherapy in western society. The American Psychological Association, around 1977, suggested that “meditation could facilitate the therapeutic process” (Taskforce on Meditation, 1977, p. 3). Unfortunately, about 20 years later it still hasn’t actually become mainstream. However, we must be fortunate that some progress is being made. At this time, I would like to discuss four current interventions that are using mindfulness meditation as part of the therapeutic process.

The first intervention is the integration of mindfulness meditation in the general psychotherapy process. La Torre (2001) discussed it as an effective component of psychotherapy and stated that as meditation brings awareness to feelings and discomforts in the therapeutic process, psychotherapy can provide discussion and exploration of these insights. She also expresses that the ability to practice meditation in and out of the therapeutic session fosters independence and self mastery on the client’s part. La Torre (2001) concludes by stating, “That in most cases the incorporation of meditation into the therapeutic process has enriched therapy and given clients a greater sense of control and awareness” (p. 104).

In a separate case study by Boorstein (1983), he describes his integration of mindfulness meditation and bibliotherapy and its effectiveness with a depressed, agitated, and paranoid client. Boorstein integrated various readings with a transpersonal theme as well as mindfulness meditation in and out of session. Boorstein claims that the outcome was significant and included increased self-esteem, psychological and spiritual growth and relief of presenting symptoms. Boorstein conducted follow ups and stated that the positive outcomes were maintained and the client continued to focus on personal and spiritual growth in his life.

A second popular intervention and the most frequently cited method of mindfulness meditation intervention is the program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program was developed specifically for chronic pain and stress related disorders. It is an 8-10 week course for groups which utilizes a unique combination of discussions related to stress, coping, as well as homework assignments and an intense instruction and practice of mindfulness meditation.

The ability for clients to practice inside and outside of session in real life situations is again a benefit of this modality (Baer, 2003). Another intervention which is strongly associated with MBSR is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This intervention incorporates aspects of cognitive therapy that facilitate a detached or decentered view of ones thoughts including statements such as “Thoughts are not facts” and “I am not my thoughts” (Baer, 2003, p. 127). MBCT is designed to teach skills for previously depressed individuals to observe their thoughts and feelings non-judgmentally and to see them as simply mental events that come and go rather than as reality or aspects of themselves (Baer, 2003). The final intervention that I will discuss that incorporates mindfulness meditation is a therapy termed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This specific therapy was designed to treat borderline personality disorder however it is currently being applied to a variety of different populations. DBT integrates mindfulness meditation training with cognitive behavioral skills in order to facilitate acceptance and change at the same time. Specific aspects of this intervention include emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance skills (Baer, 2003). In my personal career I have had direct experience with this an addiction facility and found it to be quite effective. Residential clients embraced the mindfulness components in all aspects of their lives and appeared to truly benefit from practicing acceptance and non-judgment as part of their recovery. I genuinely hope that more interventions will become available and mindfulness meditation will eventually get the respect it deserves in the field of psychotherapy and life in general. Mindfulness meditation is a holistic tool for growth and self awareness. It benefits the mind, body, and soul as a whole, however for this papers purpose I will separate the components into the benefits related to psychological, philosophical, and spiritual elements of the human being. These will be based on the literature pertaining to mindfulness meditation specifically and what has been discussed in a variety of research studies.

Physiological Benefits

The literature discusses an immense amount of physiological benefits derived from mindfulness meditation. To list and discuss all of them is beyond the scope of this paper; however I will discuss some of the main physical benefits shown throughout the empirical literature. First, the physiological changes that have been noticed when practicing meditation such as decreased heart rate, breathing and the lowering of blood pressure has been termed the “relaxation response” by Benson (1975). These changes can of course be extremely beneficial to those individuals needing to escape the daily stress and chaos of society. However, the physiological benefits of mindfulness meditation transcend the momentary changes during the act of meditation. In Perez-De-Albeniz’s (2000) 75 study Meta analysis he discussed a vast array of benefits that were found in his perusal of the available research. These included increase cardiac output, muscle relaxation, increased serotonin and melatonin levels, and significant improvement in chronic pain. In addition mindfulness meditation was found to be beneficial for psoriases, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and hypertension. This brief summary obviously demonstrates that mindfulness meditation can be effective for the body component of a human being. Lets explore the other two elements that make up human beings.

Psychological

Numerous psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation are mentioned throughout the empirical literature. Again, this is not an exhaustive review of the literature, but a brief articulation of outcomes reported regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation. La Toree (2003) explains the benefits of mindfulness meditation in terms of its emotional benefits concerning self growth. In her article she explains that overwhelming feelings are better able to be accepted as an individual is able to own these feelings and experience them with a greater sense of safety.

In Perez de Albeniz’s Meta Analysis of the literature the following were demonstrated throughout the empirical studies that were reviewed:

• Increased happiness
• Increased joy
• Increased positive thoughts
• Increase problem solving skills
• Enhanced acceptance
• Enhanced compassion
• Enhanced tolerance
• Increased relaxation
• Increased resilience
• Better control of feelings and personal responsibility
• Improvement in psychological well being
• Decreased anxiety
• Decreased substance abuse

Perez de Albeniz also discussed mindfulness meditation’s ability to help patients understand that there are no quick solutions in life which leads to development of patience in their personal growth journey. In addition, the promotion of a non-judgmental attitude as well as the ability to come to terms with what is rather than what could have been.

Finally I think it is important to mention a study by Shapiro, Schwartz, and Bonner (1998) in which MBSR was offered to medical and pre medical students. The application involved a 7-week intervention with a wait list control. The outcome of this study included reduced self-reports of overall psychological distress, including depression, reduced self-reports of state and trait anxiety and increased scores of empathy levels. Again, in the psychological domain it is obvious that mindfulness meditation has enormous benefits.

Spiritual

Spiritual benefits are also demonstrated in the practice and application of mindfulness meditation. In the Shapiro et al study (1998) it was also found that there were increased scores on the measures of spiritual experiences, which basically meant that following the mindfulness introduction, participants had a greater conviction of the existence of a higher power as well as an increase in the internalization of a personal intimate relationship to a higher power. In Perez de Albeniz (2000) it was noted that mindfulness meditation helps a patient or person to trust their inner nature and wisdom. Finally, Walsh (1983) expresses in his article that meditation is “available as a tool for those who wish to plumb the depths of their own being and explore the nature of mind, identity, and consciousness. It’s a tool that can be used from the beginning to the end of the spiritual quest” (45).

Obviously, there are many other spiritual benefits of meditation, including the obvious, Nirvana; however I merely supplied the reader with a summary. Perhaps, it may motivate some to enter this journey of awareness and explore the many additional gems along the path.

Personal Experience

Henry Miller said “the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be awake, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” This is what mindfulness meditation has brought to my life. By all means, do not think that I sit in meditation continuously and detach from the world. Mindfulness allows me to feel every moment of life within my entire being. It allows me to live life rather than just existing and the application of this practice throughout the past five years of my life has transformed who I am. I have tapped into my genuine being and united with the energy of the universe. Simply by cultivating awareness of the moment through mindfulness I have been able to transcend my ego and travel each day on the path of self-actualization. I have experienced the pure essence of mindfulness meditation. Each moment of my life allows continuous practice and application of this essential skill that genuinely gives life. Each human being on this earth has the innate ability to tap into the perfection and precision of mindfulness meditation. Go and experience the bliss that it offers.

Finally, throughout this paper I have discussed what mindfulness meditation is, provided a variety of description by the experts in this practice, and given the reader examples of the process of mindfulness meditation based on writings by Stephen Levine. It was concluded, that simply mindfulness meditation is being aware of life, which obviously can be practiced in any setting.

Mindfulness mediation is extremely practical in the west and has been utilized in a variety of therapeutic interventions with much success. Additionally, it has been shown to have physiological, psychological, and spiritual benefits by the research thus far. In short, mindfulness mediation is a great tool for the whole person to utilize toward personal and spiritual growth.

Mindfulness is genuinely living life in this very moment. Go truly live in the now and experience the true essence of life without the deluded impediments caused the thinking mind.

References

Ajaya, S. (1983). Psychotherapy East and West, Honesdale, Pa:The Himalayan International Institute.
Andreson, J. (2000). Meditation meets behavioral medicine. Journal of Conciousness Studies, 7(11-12), 17-73.
Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: a conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143.
Benson, R. (2003). The Relaxation Response, New York, NY: Morrow.
Dunn, B. R., Hartigan, J. A., & Mikulas, W. L.. (1999). Concentration and Mindfulness Meditations: Unique form of consciousness?. Applied psychophysiology and BioFeedback, 24(3), 147-165.
Goleman, D. (1972a). The Buddha on meditation and states of consciousness, Part I: A typology of meditation techniques. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 4(1), 1-44.
Kabat-Zinn, K. (1994).Wherever you go there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion
La Torre, M. A (2000). A holistic view of psychotherapy: Connecting mind, body, and spirit.. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36(2), 67-68. Levey, J & Levey, M. (1999). Simple meditation and Releaxation . Berkeley, CA: Conari Press.
Levine, S. (1989). A Gradual Awakening. New York, NY: Anchor Books.
Perez-De-Albeniz, A. (2000). Meditation, concepts, effects and uses in therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 5(1), 49-58.
Tacon, T. M. (2003). Meditation as a complementary therapy in cancer. Family and Community Health, 26(1), 64-73.
Taskforce on Meditation. (1977). Position statement on meditation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 720.

Richard A. Singer Jr. is a practicing psychotherapist living in the Cayman Islands. He is formerly of Pennsylvania and has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently working on his Doctorate Degree in Psychology at Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center. His daily inspirations have been included as part of Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul, from the best selling Chicken Soup series. His own recovery from addiction and depression impassioned him to help others find courage, determination and peace, and has made what some would call “work” the love and purpose of his life. To learn more about Mr. Singer and explore updated information, visit his Web site http://www.yourdailywalk.org. or E-Mail him at RAS9999@aol.com. In addition, please join the him for down-to-earth interactive discussions about the suggested monthly readings, daily quotes, meditations affirmations, and journaling sections of the book on his Amazon.com Blog.

Taking a Break

My big city friends are always complaining about how they have no time to take a break and when they do they can hardly even relax. It takes a lot to come down from the intensity of the days activities. How many times after a long day at the job have you come home only to go over and over all that happened? Replaying the good and the bad until its time to start again? This is not the way to relax. This only continues to increase stress or, at best, put it aside for moments.

What people need is an alternative that won't shock them. People need to find a way to relax that won't put them through even more stress. Therde are many options available to people, depending on where they live. But even if you do not have access to some of the big city diversions there's a lot that can be done.

When people think about Buddhism they tend to remember that college roommate, the hippie one. Or maybe they think of those blowhard actors in Hollywood with all their money. None of this helps when you need to relax. Meditation is an exceptional way to relieve stress. There are many ways that Buddhists meditate but the crucial point is the discipline to do it and to continue to do it. There are a plethora of books, pamphlets, websites, and magazines devoted to this topic and even the slimmest volume can be of great help, but for those that are averse to those outlets for whatever reason, there is a remedy for you. All you need is some quite, some alone time, and some patience. At first you will think twice as hard about all you want to forget. Meditation is not easy, thus so many books, but once you calm down and get the hang of it you will see results.

But the body gets stressed as much as the mind, what can be done? Exercise is the best answer. Working out will relax you when you've finished. Still, sometimes all you want is to let go and pounding weights won't help. This is when you indulge and find a spa. Somewhere to get pampered. Obviously only the wealthy can do this with frequency. But after you've been to one you can take home some ideas. Indulge in the memory while you soak in a bubblebath at home.

There is a lot that can be done to relieve stress. It's funny, but one almost has to learn to relax in today's world. There are many healthy ways to do so... the important thing to remember is that you must take the time to relax. Otherwise what are you working so hard for?

Enrique Ramos is a frequent contributer to online publication NYWellnessGuide.com- New York Area wellness related resources and information for stress management, personal growth, nutrition, and wellbeing.

Getting in The Flow

When I feel like I’m really in the flow, everything seems to be moving forward at a nice pace. I have found, though, that when I’m not in the flow that it’s pretty easy to get into it. All you have to do is feel it.

To get in the flow, imagine that you are standing in a river. Feel the current of the river flowing around you. Now feel it going through you. As you feel it around you and through you, feel yourself drift along with it. Allow it move you in the direction you should be going.

Stay with this feeling for as long as you can. When you are ready, open your eyes while trying to keep this feeling going. Know that for as long as you are feeling the flow that you are in the flow. When the feeling goes away, you will still be in the flow. Think about this often during your day.

Now go and do whatever you need to get done. It should go smoothly since you are in the flow.

The more you practice this technique, the easier it will be for you to get into the flow and the more often you will be in it. Life becomes simpler and less stressful. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Wendi Moore-Buysse works with business professionals who want to learn how to market to women. She coaches, teaches, and consults with women who want to develop intuition and who want to develop leadership skills. Her books from the Life’s Little Cheat Sheets™ Series are available through her website. Visit http://www.wendimoore.com to read her Life's Little Cheat Sheets™ blog.

Living With Asthma

I began having asthma symptoms at the age of three. My mom had a cat and we soon found out the hard way that I was extremely allergic. Thirty years ago asthma medication was still basically in its infant stage and I had a really hard time growing up with asthma. I spent many a holiday in the emergency room because one of my relatives always had a cat or because just the excitement of the day would cause me to have problems breathing and there we would be most of the night with me holding onto the breathing tube.

What is asthma and what is it like? I've run into many, many people that just didn't understand what I was going through. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on the internet describes asthma as a disease of the human respiratory system where the airways narrow, often in response to a "trigger" such as exposure to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. You know those little straws given with coctails? You know you can still drink through them but the holes are very small? Now imagine breathing through one of those. That's not too bad, is it? Now imagine covering that tiny hole with a cotton ball and still trying to breathe through the other end. Do this for at least 20 minutes to get the full effect. Now you have an idea of what asthma is really like.

I’ve always hated having to take medicine to control my asthma. When I was young I had to take this awful liquid stuff whenever I felt an attack coming on. It smelled like liquorices but it certainly didn’t taste like that. To this day I can’t stand the smell of liquorices; it just makes me shutter. That medicine always made me feel so sick. I would always get the shakes the next day and it made me so tired. By the time I got to my teens, I was on to inhalers. Those were so much better to deal with, at least the taste wasn't so bad, but they didn’t always do the trick. I started with the over the counter ones and everyone warned me about the many side effects associated with them. I mean who wants to be thinking about the possibility of having a heart attack at the age of 14? Not to mention that these, too would give me the shakes and tremors.

Cats have always been my worst enemy. Why did all of my really, really good friends always have cats as pets? Sleepovers were always a trial and error sort of thing. Sometimes I could sleep all night and others I spent the whole night sucking on that inhaler and hoping for a little breath. I’m terrible with medicine. I really am. Having to remember to take my medication every day is not something I’m really good at. But my asthma would always remind me. Go a day or two and sure enough I was short of breath by the end of the day. I rarely slept through the night without having to reach for my instant relief inhaler.

So for approximately 30 years, this was my life. This past year I personally discovered hypnosis and meditation. I’ve been intrigued by these before but I finally decided to give them a try. So I started with a healing self hypnosis CD I had found on the internet. I did this hypnosis tape for about a week. I didn’t notice it at first but suddenly, probably about a week and a half later I realized that I hadn’t needed my inhaler. I also noticed that my depression, which I had suffered from for over 18 years, was not weighing me down either. I could breathe. I felt happy, really happy.

I do this tape periodically now but I also practice daily meditation. I love to meditate. It is so relaxing and refreshing to begin my day with about 20 minutes of meditation. I love my new life. I sure wish I would’ve done this sooner. It's been more than three months now, I have been completely asthma free and I haven’t touched an inhaler once. Even when I caught a cold, which normally would activate my asthma, I was absolutely fine. There are literally thousands of meditation and hypnosis tapes for any ailment that you may have. Hypnosis and meditation; it certainly turned my life around for the better.

Find out more about natural healing and sign up for my FREE newsletter here: http://jenettyshome.homestead.com/naturally_healthy.html

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