Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is mental training practice that can improve both your mental and physical health. It combines the ancient neurotechnology of meditation with the practice of mindfulness. You learn to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body. Each of the mental actions you practice strengthens neural connections, i.e., neuroplasticity that, with practice, rewire your brain, over time making mindfulness and compassion the automatic response. As the saying goes, “neurons that fire together, wire together,” and in this case, these are the concentration neurons, the awareness neurons, and the compassion and self-compassion neurons. We could all probably use a few more of those in our brains.

Mindfulness meditation has two main parts: attention and acceptance.

The attention piece is about tuning into your experiences to focus on what is happening in the present moment. It involves directing your awareness to your breath, your thoughts, the physical sensations in your body and the feelings you are experiencing. The acceptance piece involves observing those feelings and sensations without judgment. Instead of responding or reacting to those thoughts or feelings, you aim to note them and let them go.

Mindfulness meditation will benefit your physical as well as your mental health including the following:

  • Reduce stress

    The practice has also been found to be beneficial for a number of mental and physical disorders including anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.

  • Lower heart rate

    In one recent research study, participants were either enrolled in mindfulness meditation program or placed on a waitlist for traditional treatment for heart disease. Those who participated in mindfulness meditation had significantly lower heart rates and performed better on a test of cardiovascular capacity.

  • Improve auto-immune system

    Research also suggests that mindfulness practices may improve your body’s resistance to illness. One study compared the impact of mindfulness and exercise on immune function.  People who had taken part in an eight-week mindfulness course had greater gains in immune function than those in the exercise group.

  • Better sleep

    A 2019 study found that mindfulness meditation significantly improved sleep quality.

Mindfulness Meditation at PranaMind

At PranaMind, we incorporate mindfulness meditation practices and guided contemplative exercises to increase your ability to use the mind to change your body and brain for healing and wellness. Regular practice of mindfulness meditation guided by a PranaMind mindfulness coach can change your brain, boost concentration, flexibility, and intelligence and build new neural pathways and networks.  

Through practice, the PranaMind mindfulness classes and mindfulness-based therapies will provide you with tools to:

  • Rewire your brain.
  • Learn to cherish each moment.
  • Embrace the possibilities of a positive change in how you view life and all that it has to offer.
  • Embark on a journey of self-discovery through meditation.
  • Become more alert and keenly focused.
  • Improve your mental and physical well-being.
  • Gain a greater understanding of yourself and the environment you live in.

PranaMind’s guided contemplative mindfulness meditation practices focus on cultivating loving kindness, self-acceptance, joy, connection to self and others, and wishing oneself well. Your mindfulness meditation coach carefully selects the practices based on your individual needs to reduce symptoms, increase connection, and overall wellbeing.