Monday can be tough for a lot of people. Implementing meditation into your life, if you aren't already, can be life changing.
Meditation is no longer reserved only for the hard-core Yogis, but is also practiced by school children, business people, and sports stars alike. As written by Wired, Webmd, Forbes, and the Huffington Post, meditation helps with a long list of physical and mental health, including:
- increases focus
- increases memory
- decreases anxiety
- decreases stress
- decreases anxiety
- decreases depression
- boosts immunity
- decreases inflammation
There are many ways one can choose to meditate. Today we will discuss using the Mandala, since our ML dream interviewee creates them as his artistic outlet of choice.
Mandalas are circular designs representing wholeness, reminding us of our minuscule relation to the cosmos and our relation to infinity. You can find the mandala in many natural forms such as the Earth, Sun, Moon and flowers.
Mandalas are aids to absorb the mind so that distracting thoughts do not get in the way of the individual observing the mandala, which should allow that person a higher consciousness or awareness. If successful, the overworked mind can be at peace while the creative mind is allowed to be free.
When it is time to begin meditating, make sure the mandala is appealing to you. If you don't know its intention, create one for yourself before meditating. Stare at the mandala and allow your eyes to wander around shape. Think only about the mandala itself and its design and colors. If, and when, your mind gets distracted, gently remind yourself of the mandala. It is normal to go in and out of being distracted to being relaxed and focusing on the mandala. The more practice you have meditating, the better you will get at the relaxation part and less distracted you can stay for longer periods.
We are so encouraged by schools using meditation to help our future generation be more mindful individuals. Wired Magazine posed the question of whether schools should implement Mindfulness, and if our vote counts as anything, we think it's GREAT.
"The mandala is busy and yet is peaceful. It has a definite dichotomy. It is meditative and it stimulates the imagination. The mandala helps activate the pineal gland, the 3rd eye. The mandala encourages a union of both sides of the brain. Meditation is so important." Richard S. Rutowicz, Mandala Artist (see ML Dreams for his interview)
Happy Monday and Happy Meditating.
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