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Meditation
The Benefits of Meditation
Meditation, a practice rooted in ancient traditions, has gained significant popularity in the modern world for its numerous mental and physical health benefits. As stress and anxiety levels continue to rise, more people are turning to meditation as a means of finding inner peace and improving overall well-being.
Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind and eliminating distractions to achieve a state of mental clarity and emotional calm. There are several forms of meditation, including mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and loving-kindness meditation, each with its unique techniques and benefits.
One of the most well-documented benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress. A meta-analysis of 163 studies found that mindfulness meditation programs significantly reduced stress, with an effect size of 0.38, which is considered a moderate effect. Chronic stress can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease and depression, making stress reduction a critical benefit of meditation.
Meditation has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders. A study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation programs can help reduce anxiety, depression, and pain, with effect sizes comparable to those of antidepressant medications. This makes meditation a valuable tool for managing anxiety without the side effects associated with pharmaceuticals.
Meditation can lead to improved emotional health by promoting a more positive outlook on life. Research published in the journal Psychological Science found that individuals who engaged in loving-kindness meditation reported increased positive emotions, which contributed to greater life satisfaction and reduced depressive symptoms.
Meditation enhances attention span and concentration. A study conducted at the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that participants who underwent a two-week mindfulness training program showed improved GRE reading comprehension scores and working memory capacity compared to a control group. This suggests that meditation can enhance cognitive functions essential for academic and professional success.
Meditation helps individuals better regulate their emotions. Neuroimaging studies have shown that meditation alters brain regions associated with emotion regulation, such as the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that long-term meditation practitioners had increased gray matter density in the brain regions involved in emotional regulation, suggesting that meditation can lead to lasting changes in brain structure and function.
Meditation can contribute to lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease. A study published in the journal Hypertension found that participants who practiced transcendental meditation for three months experienced significant reductions in blood pressure compared to a control group. This effect is attributed to the relaxation response induced by meditation, which reduces stress hormones and promotes cardiovascular health.
Meditation has been shown to enhance immune function, making the body more resilient to infections. Research published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that mindfulness meditation increased antibody production in response to the influenza vaccine, indicating a stronger immune response.
Meditation can be an effective tool for managing chronic pain. A meta-analysis of 38 studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that mindfulness meditation significantly reduced pain severity, with effect sizes comparable to those of standard pain management interventions.
Meditation offers a wide array of benefits for mental, cognitive, physical, and social health. From reducing stress and anxiety to enhancing attention and immune function, meditation is a powerful practice that can improve overall well-being. As scientific research continues to uncover the mechanisms behind these benefits, meditation is likely to become an increasingly integral part of health and wellness practices worldwide.
Examining the Synergy of Acupuncture and Meditation
If you suffer from stress and anxiety (and really, who doesn’t?) and you are looking for better and holistic ways to cope, you might want to consider the combination of meditation and acupuncture. While there is a big difference between the two, what they bring together is a formidable duo in pursuit of complete wellbeing. continue reading
Three Reasons to Add Deep Breathing to Your Daily Routine
You might think breathing is second nature, right? You’re doing it right now as you are reading this. But did you know that there are different kinds of breathing and that what is called deep breathing can have important health benefits? Read on to learn just three of the most important reasons you should add deep breathing to your daily routine. continue reading
8 Benefits of Practicing Regular Meditation
Meditation has a reputation for several health benefits but here are the top eight reasons establishing a regular meditation routine can improve your overall health and wellbeing. But first, what is meditation? It is defined as the regular process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. continue reading
Learn Wild Goose Qigong
Taught by Robert Bates and Matt Van Dyke
New Three-Month Class Starting October 6, 2022.
Times, Costs, Location
Dates and times: Friday mornings from 7:30—9 AM
Beginning: Friday, October 6, 2022. Going through Dec 30
Cost: $100 per three-month quarter
Location: Presence Studio on Cornwall Avenue
To Sign Up Contact: Robert Bates at rbbatesdc@comcast.net
-or-
Matt Van Dyke at matt@bellinghamqigong.com
Dayan Qigong/Wild Goose Qigong
The Wild Goose Qigong system contains Chinese longevity exercises and meditations that originated in the Kunlun Mountains of Western China many centuries ago. The system is also known as Kunlun Dayan Qigong. Long a secret, Wild Goose Qigong became widely practiced in China in recent decades and is spreading to the rest of the globe. The exercises represent the daily routine of a wild goose—a bird of longevity, stamina, and high energy—and are effective at helping treat disease, increase energy, improve mental clarity and brain functions, and maintain general fitness. Matt and Robert know more than 20 movement forms in Wild Goose Qigong—several years worth of instruction. In addition, there are some 15 meditations taught in the system and many of these will be taught as well, over time.
Class Progression
Each class consists of warmups, followed by instruction and practice in one or more Wild Goose forms, and ends with a meditation.
The curriculum will be a varied sequence of short and long forms, with a particular focus on the foundational form called The First 64.
Some of these forms are fairly short and can be learned at a basic level in only a few weeks. Other forms are long and complex and take several months to learn the movements. Mastery of some of these forms takes years of practice, as there are many subtle details to incorporate. Wild Goose Qigong is a lifelong practice for health and longevity.
This quarter we will be focusing on the 8 Character Back Stretching Qi Gong, along with the 1st 64 form.
New Students
New students are welcome to join on the first class of each quarter year; that is the first Friday in October, January, April, and July. Qigong experience is useful, but not required
8 Character Back Stretching Qi Gong -八字拔腰功 Bāzì bá yāo gōng
With 14 movements, 8 Character Back & Waist Stretching Qi Gong is a relatively short form in the Wild Goose Goose system. However, like all forms in this system, a little bit goes a long way toward health. This qi gong is designed to open the spine, waist, and hips, allowing for greater circulation throughout the hips and pelvic area and into the legs. With a blend of vigorous shaking and soft movements similar to tai chi, the whole body is invigorated, resulting in greater vitality, more energy, and targeted healing for the back and legs.
Matt Van Dyke, AEMP MQP
Matt Van Dyke is an Acupuncturist, Herbalist, and Qi Gong practitioner clinically focused on maximizing quality of life and longevity. Matt is especially interested in helping to train patients and students to tap into their own innate potential and to facilitate new landscapes of healing. Matt is a student of Dr. Zhang Dong Xun OMD, having studied Jingui Golden Shield Qi Gong and Fit 150 Intended Evolution for the past 20 years. He has been teaching Qi Gong since 2007, both private classes, and at Middle Way Acupuncture Institute. Matt has also studied Dayan Wild Goose Qi Gong with Robert Bates religiously for the last 7 years. Together Matt and Robert have delved deep, studying and practicing over 20 forms and meditations of this vast system.
Robert B. Bates DC, MMQ
Robert is a healer and teacher of healing based in Bellingham, Washington. A 1990 graduate of Southern California College of Chiropractic, he has practiced in Washington State since 1992. He has taught many Qigong courses since 1997. He earned his Master of Medical Qigong certificate in 2001 from Jerry Alan Johnson at the International Institute of Medical Qigong. He has been practicing Wild Goose Qigong since 1999 and has taken Wild Goose classes and workshops from noted teachers Michael Tse, Bingkun Hu, and Paul Li. He currently teaches Medical Qigong at the Middle Way Acupuncture Institute. In addition he teaches workshops in Lymph Drainage Therapy and Fluid Articular Release for the Chikly Health Institute, an international teaching organization based in Arizona.