By SHANTI KAUR
Khalsa-Sikh Dharma International (Courtesy TnH Magazine)
While the world is going through a situational crisis due to COVID-19, there is an outbreak of stress and panic across countries. Governments across countries are taking measures to control the outbreak and save as many lives as possible, but as individuals we need to keep ourselves away from stress spiraling into a full blown panic.
If every person in a sinking ship panicked, the ship would surely sink with lives lost. However, if one person in the ship stayed calm and showed courage, that one person could save lives and show direction to others. Such is the power of staying calm- ‘Calm is contagious’.
Meditation is the ideal solution in the present scenario which can help restore calmness. Most of the times, our minds are locked in the past and future, mindful meditations helps in putting back mind to the present moment. Mindful meditation helps in alleviating stress and insomnia which is affecting people currently worldwide.
Meditation refers to different practices in different countries. However, the most well-known form of practice is ‘Mindfulness meditation.’ It focuses on paying attention, purposefully and non-judgmentally, to one’s experience in the current moment. It involves the simple practice of sitting down, closing the eyes, and focusing on the feelings while the breath goes in and out.
Meditation helps in gaining a new perspective on stressful situations. It increases self awareness, reduces negative emotions and increases imagination and creativity.
Mindful Meditation- As soon as a person feels anxious, he or she needs to stop. It is important to take a deep breath, pause and feel feet on the ground. One should keep practicing daily and keep proceeding with more awareness of self. Believing in the supreme power while meditating is more effective in building a soulful connect between mind body and soul.
Meditating with Nature- Meditation also helps us in connecting with nature; nature has its own pace, music and rhythm. Medication helps in involving with nature which has its own calming effect. In many parts of the world, it has been seen that nature is coming back to its more beautiful form due to lesser human interventions. This is the time when we can bring back the lost connect with nature with time and peace at hand. Connecting with nature through meditation makes us feel that nature still supports us in various forms. Listening to birds, looking out of the window, enjoying the greenery of house garden, putting hands in water are also forms of meditation which helps us calm our inner selves.
Stay flexible and calm- Practicing yoga will help to stay calm and flexible. You can elevate the spirit and maintain a healthy body and mind with a dose of daily yoga. It is suggested to set aside 15 minutes each day for yourself, or share this time with your family. Yoga exercises are a simple and practical way to uplift your spirit.
Essential Wellness Kits in form of booklets are available over the internet, and one such kit with 20 wonderful yoga sets and meditations to maintain equilibrium and increase strength in these extremely challenging times can be downloaded from the Kundalini Research Institute (www.kriteachings.org); “Essential Wellness Kit – For Challenging Times.”
While nature has given us the opportunity to spend quality time with our families, it is important that every individual follows every rule and guideline to keep himself/ herself healthy and germ free. Along with hygiene practices, social distancing and good food, meditation will help in physiological and emotional well-being of individuals.
And the benefits of meditation will not end with the sessions. While we are hopeful that the world will soon be Covid-19 free, meditation as a practice should be continued to enjoy the lifetime benefits.