30-day Meditation Challenge

On December 1st, LiveStrong.com began a 30-day meditation challenge with a mentor channel and Hall Center.

print or save calendar to remind you to meditate! (picture: Gracie wilson/livestrong.com)

Why meditate?

1. Meditation can relieve your stress. One of the most frequently cited benefits of meditation is that it reduces body stress and cortisol levels. Who doesn't want to? Sitting quietly for a few minutes can slow down your brain and keep your body still and restored. p>strong>2.Meditation can improve your health. Several studies have shown that regular meditation (at least five minutes a day) can help your immune system function better and, in some cases, even alleviate pain. 3. Mediation improves your efficiency.

Yes, doing nothing while you are doing something can actually help you. Meditation improves your ability to focus, focus and remember, and think creatively. One study even found that you can increase your attention span in just four days of meditation training. 4. Meditate to make you happier.

You can reduce depression and anxiety, while increasing positive emotions. Meditation can also make you more compassionate and less lonely.

all you want to know about the therapeutic benefits of meditation with Hall Center and Dr. Prudence Hall! Join the conversation with Michelle Bergmann Vartan, senior editor of LiveStrong, and leave your question

in the following comments posted by LiveStrong.com on Wednesday, 30 November 2016. What should I do when I meditate?

1. No That's the focus of meditation. You don't have to do anything. Of course, you can (see Items 2 to 4 below), but sit, do, think, do... It's perfectly acceptable. Nothing? It's perfectly normal to start with Zen Buddhism and let some miscellaneous thoughts fly out of your mind. Just admit them and let yourself go.

2. Repeat a spell or use a Mara bead. Often, repeating a word or phrase can help you stay focused while meditating. The most common mantra is om, but you can speak, sing or sing in any language anything that helps you find the center, loud or silent.

For example: & quot; Today, I choose to be kind, & quot; & quot; my breath is deep and my heart is open, & quot; & quot; I am strong and capable, & quot; or the name of God in any religion/language (Allah, Govinda, Javert, etc.). 3. Pray or take time to be grateful. You don't need religious beliefs or even supernatural spirits to enjoy meditation, but many people use this time as part of their spiritual practice. If you pray or think about specific texts, you can. If you don't hold any particular religion, try to be grateful for what you have and what you have. 4. Listening leads to meditation. If you're not sure what you should do, meditation can be embarrassing for beginners (but again, you shouldn't do anything specific). Therefore, guided meditation can be a helpful way to start. You can find them through UCLA's Awareness Resource Center, Deepak Chopra's website, YouTube or Stop, Breathe and Think applications.

What do you think? Will you take part in the challenge? What do you want from it? Have you ever participated in the Meditation Challenge before? What did you learn from it? Share your meditation stories and techniques in the comments below!