In today’s busy world, being centered, balanced and at peace are much sought-after elements. People in seriously busy places are turning to the timeless Eastern practices of meditation and yoga to help them get there.
People have different reasons for wanting to meditate, but those who do so regularly say it greatly enriches their lives. Mantra meditation is one of the most popular meditation techniques.
What is a mantra? It’s a word or phrase repeated over and over during meditation – generally sacred in nature, that uplifts you and helps keep you focused during meditation. Mantras give your brain something to do to quiet all of the usual chatter, whether repeated, chanted or sung out loud or silently. Mantras have a soothing, calming effect on the mind to softly but firmly focus only on one tiny simple thing.
“With so much emphasis on multitasking, it’s not as common in our society to concentrate and focus. Mantras help build the skill to focus,” commented Nancy Goodfellow, yoga instructor at Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat in Santa Teresa Costa Rica. Goodfellow integrates the practice of mantras and meditation into her daily yoga classes at the Costa Rica beach resort that specializes in yoga retreats and vacations.
The key to building a healthy meditation practice is to start slowly with 10 minutes a day and work your way up to 20 minutes, then 30 minutes, an hour, etc.
Top 10 benefits of meditation:
- Quiet the mind and find calm
- Reduce stress
- Improve creativity
- Visualize achieving goals
- Dispel negative thinking
- Follow a faith or spiritual teaching
- Get to know yourself better
- Breathe better and improve focus and concentration
- Improve your health
- Control anxiety
Pranamar Oceanfront Villas and Yoga Retreat
Enjoy private Costa Rica villas with Bali-style flair on the beach at this Santa Teresa, Costa Rica hotel. The luxury boutique resort features tropical gardens, a healthy gourmet restaurant, free-form saltwater pool, beachfront spa, and a magnificent yoga shala offering yoga classes, yoga retreats and yoga vacations. See their weekly yoga class schedule on Facebook.
Article by Shannon Farley
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