For centuries, meditation has been the healing practice used in many different cultures for spiritual wellness. Used to help center the mind and body, it’s great to know that there is a go-to when your mental health is becoming harder to manage or it is no longer operating to its best ability. It’s even more amazing that this wellness practice that many use to center themselves metally, can be used to alleviate physical pain. Not only does meditation help you process stress ten times better if incorporated into your daily routine, but it also helps with managing certain symptoms of some common physical illnesses.
When dealing with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, it’s normal to only focus on the physical pain that comes with it.
Actually, it’s usually the main focus because getting rid of the pain or at least alleviating it can be a challenge. Though it’s understandable to want to solely focus on helping the physical pain, many don’t realize that a lot of physical pain can be caused by mental stress and or mental disorders.
Stress management is very important when living with rheumatoid arthritis because stress is one of its main triggers.
Since rheumatoid arthritis is fueled by inflammation in the joints, when you are very stressed and overwhelmed, it can cause inflammation to skyrocket.
If you suffer from anxiety then you know how taxing it can be on your mind and what it can do to you physically.
Symptoms of anxiety include panic, rapid heart rate and breathing, hyperventilation and more. These types of symptoms are known to induce stress or can be the result of stress. Once your mind is overwhelmed it can trigger physical changes and pain in the body ie, inflammation flare-ups.
READ: 3 Life-Changing Benefits of Meditation
At one point in time, natural “remedies” were the only means of aid for sick people because they were the only options available. Today’s science and medication were definitely not around during the prehistoric age but essentially, these natural remedies used in the past were their way of medication. People in earlier times used what they found in nature to heal sicknesses. Using the sap from trees and plants, certain leaves from plants, berries and other fruits, roots and more formed the medicines that helped the sick.
Now, medication isn’t something to look down on. In fact, we are very lucky to have the sciences that we do today. To be able to make and consume medication that not only helps manage certain illnesses but cures them as well is such an amazing thing about the future. The reason why natural remedies excel when medication can not is because natural remedies are usually organic. Sometimes medication just doesn’t work and you have to incorporate natural antidotes.
Meditation 101: When, Where & How To Do It
When living with rheumatoid arthritis, there are different types of meditations that can help when you are suffering from an inflammation flare-up.
This form of guided meditation is the perfect way to get started. You can use it in your morning and night routine. All it takes is for you to sit down in a comfortable position, and focus on your breathing. Inhale for 5 seconds and exhale for 8. Make sure to focus on your breathing while you’re practicing and if your mind wanders, simply place it back on your breathing.
This is a form of meditation that doesn’t require complete silence and peace. This type of meditation can be done anywhere. Just focus on the present moment. If you try it in the shower, focus on the sound of the water or how the suds look.
This is actually the most recommended form of meditation because you have to remain present. With this form, focus on what you’re feeling in the moment and change the way you describe it to yourself. If you feel pain in your feet, instead of complaining about how painful they are, acknowledge that there is pain and then let it go.
This type of meditation is what you think of when you hear the word meditation. You sit down in a comfortable position and silently repeat a phrase or saying for about 15-20 minutes. This helps ease and quiet your mind until you reach a level of silence. This takes a lot of practice and should be done twice a day for maximum results.
Your mind and body are interconnected meaning one can’t function without the other. When living with a sickness such as rheumatoid arthritis, finding what works for you and sticking with it is important. When you’re able to take care of your mind, you’re able to take care of your physical body as well. If medicine isn’t doing the trick, try using both medication and meditation.
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