Health Hack video #21: Regaining the lost art of meditation

Mention the word meditation and many people immediately think about sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed and lips moving in a quiet chant. Hence, meditation is considered too difficult, too time consuming or just a bit too ‘woo-woo’ for some. But, meditation takes many forms and not all of them are still or silent.

Meditation and mindfulness have myriad benefits and are essential antidotes to the ‘monkey mind’ that afflicts us all from time to time. Especially now in times of such stress and change. Just giving yourself permission to day dream a little, gazing out of the window to appreciate a lovely garden, tree, flower, a rainbow or even the sun peeking through a cloudy sky can give us a moment of calm and peace, allowing our thoughts to slow and our nervous system to switch into its ‘rest & digest’ parasympathetic state. Taking time out of our busy lives even if it is only for a few moments each day is essential to our health and wellbeing including building and supporting a strong immune system.

We’re releasing a new Health Hack this week, written by Jacky Parker, that focuses on ways to ‘meditate’ in the outdoors. By focusing on our environment and what we’re doing we’re taken out of our everyday lives and away from the stress. Being outdoors is also highly beneficial for our immune system as we engage with a range of environments that help us to adapt to and resist new organisms – naturally of course!

We invite you to join us in taking a few moments out of your day on a regular basis to discover or rediscover the joy of meditating. You might even find the odd chant gracing your lips…

Jacky Parker is an interiors and lifestyle writer / content editor, with a keen interest in holistic health. She regularly produces features for national publications and digital platforms. You can find out more about Jacky and her work at www.jackyparker.co.uk