ABSTRACT

A very powerful form of relaxation is meditation. This does not have to be religious, or based on a particular faith. Essentially, it is sitting still, breathing regularly, and quietening one's mind. When people do this, their body slows down and they shift more into the parasympathetic. Eventually, their mind will slow down, too, and they will become more peaceful and relaxed. Fifteen to twenty minutes is the minimum time to get the maximum benefit. Mindfulness means paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, better pain control, anger management, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and self-healing, as well as for stress. People can start practising mindfulness by introducing "mindful" meditations into their regular routine of meditation. On a day-to-day basis, mindlessness is not very productive and is often quite harmful.