It’s likely that the last thing you feel able to do in your busy, busy day is set aside time to meditate. The benefits of meditation are endless. The role this ritual plays within parenthood is essential. Meditation can allow you to create exceptional inner peace, help you develop more confident parenting skills and bring your life order despite your feelings of complete disarray.
Meditation allows you to clear away your path for the day.
How To Make Meditation Happen:
1. In order to bring this peace to your morning, wake up slightly earlier than usual and begin the day with a sense of calm rather than rushing from one activity from sunrise to sunset.
2. To establish the habit of nurturing your spirit before bed after the kids have already been put down for sleep, leave those dishes for the morning and nurture yourself not the housework.
3. Set aside five minutes during the day, in the car while you wait for your children after school, at your desk or while waiting for others in a meeting or at lunch.
Now I Made Time What Do I Do?
A Few Simple Steps
1. Dim the lights and sit comfortably on your floor. You can use a pillow to sit on to aide your comfort and allow your spine to extend fully as you sit upright. Or, you may prefer to lie flat, with your arms resting to your side.
2. Focus on your breathing. Enjoy the feeling that is created as you slowly inhale and exhale slowly releasing the air and tension from your body.
3. Feel your chest expand and collapse, feel your shoulders drop and neck muscles loosen.
4. Let your mind focus on your breathing let all your thoughts fly into the sky.
It's really pretty simple, breathe relax and let go. How's that for Mommy Meditation.
The value of meditation is endless. Find the time. Your mind and body deserve it.
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meditation. Show all posts
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Tips for A Better Life - 2008
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
29. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
30. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
31. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) Hey I'm thinking of Ya! =)
35. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
The day my close friend, Lisa told me she and her family were moving to snow country she sent this to me, it softened the blow. Are you living with Lisa's rules?
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
9. Dream more while you are awake.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
29. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
30. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
31. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
32. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
33. Do the right thing!
34. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) Hey I'm thinking of Ya! =)
35. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
The day my close friend, Lisa told me she and her family were moving to snow country she sent this to me, it softened the blow. Are you living with Lisa's rules?
Friday, March 14, 2008
ADHD Executive Function Deficits and Meditation
"A UCLA study shows that only about half of children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, exhibit the cognitive defects commonly associated with the condition.
The study also found that in populations where medication is rarely prescribed to treat ADHD, the prevalence and symptoms of the disorder are roughly equivalent to populations in which medication is widely used.
The results of the first large, longitudinal study of adolescents and ADHD, conducted among the population of northern Finland, appeared in several papers in a special section of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published in December and are currently online.
ADHD is a common, chronic behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that is thought to affect some 5 to 10 percent of school-age children worldwide.
In adolescence, ADHD is generally associated with cognitive deficits, particularly with working memory and inhibition, which have been linked to overall intelligence and academic achievement, according to UCLA psychiatry professor Susan Smalley, who headed the research. Interestingly, the study showed that these deficits are only present in about half of adolescents diagnosed with ADHD.
Part of the explanation may lie in the common method for diagnosing the disorder. The researchers found that ADHD is an extreme on a normal continuum of behavior that varies in the population, much like height, weight or IQ. Its diagnosis, and thus its prevalence, is defined by where health professionals "draw the line" on this continuum, based on the severity of the symptoms and overall impairment.
However, children with cognitive deficits do not show increased levels of inattention or hyperactivity when compared with other children diagnosed with ADHD, the study found, suggesting that behavior-rating scales alone are not sensitive enough to differentiate between the two groups. Additional psychological testing is recommended to confirm the presence of cognitive impairments."
This is why we often refer the children in our practice for a brief Neuropsychological assessment with a board certified child neuropsychologist. These evaluations are important in recommending a course of intervention. Some children may benefit from executive brain function training others may be subject to misdiagnosis, others may be twice gifted. Children really do come in all shapes and sizes and it is central to their well-being that we learn as much about them as possible to provide them with what they need.
Curiously, we also regard interventions such as mindfulness training, meditation and yoga to be important aspects of intervention for ADHD.
Read what researcher Dr. Susan Smalley has to say about meditation on her thoughtful blog. www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-smalley/medication-or-meditation-_b_14839.html
Then visit www.drthomasebrown.com and read about current research on brain development and ADHD as well. Happy learning.
The study also found that in populations where medication is rarely prescribed to treat ADHD, the prevalence and symptoms of the disorder are roughly equivalent to populations in which medication is widely used.
The results of the first large, longitudinal study of adolescents and ADHD, conducted among the population of northern Finland, appeared in several papers in a special section of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published in December and are currently online.
ADHD is a common, chronic behavioral disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that is thought to affect some 5 to 10 percent of school-age children worldwide.
In adolescence, ADHD is generally associated with cognitive deficits, particularly with working memory and inhibition, which have been linked to overall intelligence and academic achievement, according to UCLA psychiatry professor Susan Smalley, who headed the research. Interestingly, the study showed that these deficits are only present in about half of adolescents diagnosed with ADHD.
Part of the explanation may lie in the common method for diagnosing the disorder. The researchers found that ADHD is an extreme on a normal continuum of behavior that varies in the population, much like height, weight or IQ. Its diagnosis, and thus its prevalence, is defined by where health professionals "draw the line" on this continuum, based on the severity of the symptoms and overall impairment.
However, children with cognitive deficits do not show increased levels of inattention or hyperactivity when compared with other children diagnosed with ADHD, the study found, suggesting that behavior-rating scales alone are not sensitive enough to differentiate between the two groups. Additional psychological testing is recommended to confirm the presence of cognitive impairments."
This is why we often refer the children in our practice for a brief Neuropsychological assessment with a board certified child neuropsychologist. These evaluations are important in recommending a course of intervention. Some children may benefit from executive brain function training others may be subject to misdiagnosis, others may be twice gifted. Children really do come in all shapes and sizes and it is central to their well-being that we learn as much about them as possible to provide them with what they need.
Curiously, we also regard interventions such as mindfulness training, meditation and yoga to be important aspects of intervention for ADHD.
Read what researcher Dr. Susan Smalley has to say about meditation on her thoughtful blog. www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-smalley/medication-or-meditation-_b_14839.html
Then visit www.drthomasebrown.com and read about current research on brain development and ADHD as well. Happy learning.
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