Next Step Meeting
July 27, 2018 12:00pm- 1:00pm
Guided Meditation
Presented By: Bryn Kennedy and Joelle Rogers
Research shows that Guided Meditation can have a positive effect on reduction of stress, anxiety, pain. Meditation works to relax muscles and increase oxygenation to body via focus on breathing. This relaxation has been found to have a positive effect on both the mind and the body (muscle relaxation > tone reduction)
Mindfulness is the quality or state of being aware of something ( your breathing, your body)
Meditation is the process of quieting the mind to spend time in thought for relaxation
Mindful Meditation is bringing one’s complete attention to the present moment.
Be the best person you can be despite your limitations
Focus on what you can do today – no what you can’t do!
Guided meditation is a process by which one or more participants meditate in response to the guidance provided by a trained practitioner or teacher, either in person or via a written text, sound recording, video, or audiovisual media comprising music or verbal instruction, or a combination of both.
Joelle Rogers is trained marriage and family counselor who had a stroke 3 years ago. She practiced meditation personally before her stroke, but she has found that she has been able to experience a whole new set of benefits in her practice of meditation following her stroke. She is currently in the process of leading guided meditation classes to others who may benefit from its effects.
She states, .”It helps me focus my attention, decrease my tone, and reduce my pain.”
Joelle practices mediation 5 x week and states that even just 5 minutes of meditation daily can help.
Questions from the Group:
What do you do when your mind wanders?
Meditation is a discipline and it takes practice. It’s okay if your mind wanders. One of the easiest ways to start practicing mediation is to focus on your breathing.
For Example: “Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Repeat the words, “Breathe in, breathe out, “ as you inhale and exhale. “
When you lose focus go back to your breathing and repeat, “Breathe in and breathe out.”
Others find that you can use your distractions as object to focus on. For example, focus on the sounds you hear in the environment. Eliminate all your other thoughts and just focus on the sounds you hear. Make each sound an object of your attention and hold your attention on that sound until a new sound comes into your environment.
Meditation Resources:
Relax Melodies – Free App that has music you can use for meditation
https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/ - Jon Kabat Zinn recordings for sale and books on meditation
www.DukeIntegrativeMedicine.org – Gentle Yoga and Mindfulness classes offered
MindfulSelfCompassion.org - Christopher Germer, Ph.D. - free downloads, books
http://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-for-caregivers/ - Kristen Neff, Ph.D.
http://self-compassion.org/why-caregivers-need-self-compassion/ - Kristen Neff, Ph.D.
http://www.rickhanson.net – Rick Hanson, Ph.D.
https://www.lionsroar.com/take-care-of-yourself-too/ - article/practices by Sharon Salzberg
https://jackkornfield.com/ - Jack Kornfield – free meditations, practices
www.getsomeheadspace.com - variety of contemporary mindfulness subjects, videos, and guided meditations