Meditate to release tension

Tension is not an illness, it is an indication of a reaction to stress. It can, however, bring out a real illness, finding its outlet in physical, nervous and mental disturbance, which affects the face. How does it start? Tension is the outcome of an inner conflict which is unresolved. It indicates a clash between impulses that demand action when simultaneously there is an inner force that stops this.



Anxiety: In women particularly, anxiety is extremely common. It is different from fear, which is a normal emotional reaction to a definite real danger. Anxiety is a neurotic response. Most women who suffer are never quite sure exactly what it is they are so anxious about, although they list general issues such as money, the future, security, losing a job, husband, the home and growing old.
To help control anxiety, try "rationing " yourself. List the most important things to worry about and concentrate on those. Live from day to day; don't look back; don't peer into the future. Balance your anxiety with physical and mental recreations that leave little time and thought for fretting.

Women with time on their hands worry more and the more you worry, the less inclined you are to go out and take action. Try to take one major positive decision a day, starting with little things such as choosing a new sari or lipstick. It is surprising how quickly confidence can build up to enable you to face a major decision.

Accumulated tension can play havoc with your mind and body. For relieving tension one simple method is meditation

Jealousy: Is one of the most stress-causing and damaging emotions in women. It can maim the spirit and almost paralyse the will. At its most intense, jealousy cannot be controlled without the nerves going to pieces. The cure for jealousy is to see it exactly for what it is.

Depression: Women are more prone to depression than men. Many feel frustrated, bored and trapped in a house-bound monotony. Boredom is the surface state. A woman may feel she is lacking something important if she has to fit into the traditional female role, and this depresses her. Or she may expect more out of her life but what it is may not be clear to her. She feels inadequate, ineffectual and frustrated.

While it's quite common to experience mood-swings during PMS, women are more depressed after childbirth (post-partum depression), in the mid-thirties and early forties (peri-menopause) and during menopause when hormonal disturbances are significant.

Depression affects sleep; sometimes there is difficulty in getting to sleep with early waking , sometimes sleep is an escape. To overcome this problem it is necessary to force oneself to do something stimulating like taking some sport or hobby. Or just taking a long brisk walk.

Meditation: The best way to relieve tension is through pleasure, which is absorbing. This can be achieved by meditation.

Relaxation releases tension from the mind as well as the body. While the body is at rest, the mind empties itself and you emerge from meditation physically fit and more mentally alert.

It can also serve as a self-analysis lesson because when you meditate, you are forced to watch your thoughts. To sit still for 15-20 minutes to clear the mind can be difficult in the beginning. With practice, it becomes simple. During meditation there is a drop in the rate of breathing and heart activity, and the brain pattern changes to a more relaxed form. Experienced meditators say that you can even begin to see problems objectively.

The Technique
The most common type of meditation is the Transcendental  Meditation -  which uses a "mantra" to clear the mind. The rules for this meditation are simple. Choose a comfortable position. It is not necessary to sit cross-legged but once you get used to it, it helps achieve regular relaxed breathing. Breathe slowly and rhythmically, and decide which "mantra" you will use.

To sit still for 15 or 20 minutes can be difficult in the beginning.

Traditional mantras are like our vowel sounds ah-eh-ih-oh-uh. Repeat them all and decide which one suits you best. It is said that ah- relieves anxiety, eh-tension, ih-aggression, oh-pain and uh-sexual excitement.
Introduce the chosen sound into your mind, saying it loud at first if it helps you to concentrate. Repeat it over and over again in your head pushing out every other thought not with force but with a detached mind.
At first, the mind will run wild and other thoughts will refuse to go. Both practice and patience are needed. If you find it difficult to meditate with the eyes closed, focus on some object, a picture or sculpture.
Make yourself sit and learn the technique for a minimum of 15 minutes a day; make it a regular habit. In time, you will begin to look forward to it and find it absolutely necessary.

(Guest Post by Shashikala)