Meditation is an ancient technique practiced by sages. They lived for many years and remained active and disease free. Meditation is not the cure-all for all diseases. What it does is to enable you to deal with stress and to remain calm in a hostile environment which antagonises your body, mind and emotions.
Three hormones come into play when you are stressed. Two of them, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA, which is a steroidal hormone, are produced by the adrenal gland.
- Cortisol is produced as a reaction to stress. If too much of this hormone is released due to excessive or continuous stress, it affects muscles, skin, bone and even the brain. The person concerned ages faster than normal.
- DHEA protects the body tissues from the effect of stress hormones. It is produced in ample quantities in young people but gets reduced as age advances. Aging and disease set in set in as DHEA levels decrease.
- Melatonin is the hormone which is responsible for sleep. It calms you so that you can have deep restful sleep. As you get older, melatonin production decreases. It is also an antioxidant.
Meditation gives you the power to control the level of these hormones so that they remain at an optimal level. Thus the body’s natural anti-aging ability is activated. It can take the years off your face and body and you can live a long productive life.
Our brain consists of two layers- a white layer covered with a grey one. Most of the functions related to memory, speech, sensory perceptions, muscle control and emotions reside here. It is connected with the nervous system of your body. The grey matter is therefore very important. As you age the grey matter loses cells and they are not regenerated. It thus gets thinner.
Slowly, with time, memory loss starts occurring. Proper balance and movement are impaired and the elderly fall down easily and get hurt. Meditating regularly helps thicken the depleting grey layer. Age related problems are delayed. The ability to remember and learn new things is enhanced. Muscular movement improves.
There is no shortcut or quick way to get these benefits from meditation. You have to learn it and practice it diligently. There are many ways to practice meditation. Different exponents advocate different methods. Search the internet or visit centres set up by Art of Living, Patanjali Yogpeeth etc. for proper guidance.
You can find what works for you and suits your need. You can evolve your own style by picking up the salient features of different styles. The effects can be more noticeable in some people than in others but rest assured that meditation will have a beneficial effect on all. It will rejuvenate you and bring order in your life.
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