By Kimaya Singh
Is meditation for cancer recovery realistic? Yoga meditation techniques are a wonderful way to complement and support your cancer recovery process. There are a variety of Yoga meditations that will help you to keep your spirits high as you work to re-establish your physical health. Yogic breathing exercises will also support you in combating stress and anxiety during your treatment and recovery process.
Many doctors are now aware that treating the anxiety and stress that often comes with the diagnosis of a serious illness, like cancer, is of critical importance to the healing process. Frequently, cancer patients will fight admirably on the physical level, but they may become emotionally depressed during the treatment and recovery process.
Why should patients consider meditation for cancer recovery? It has been clinically proven that depression weakens the body’s ability to fight cancer. When your anxiety and stress levels are high, you also have higher levels of cortisol, which suppresses the functioning of your immune system. Additionally, high levels of cortisol are related to an increased incidence, severity and duration of depression.
Before meditating, it is very helpful to practice some simple breathing exercises to calm you nervous system. The most basic breathing exercise is to breathe in slowly for a count of five, hold for a count of five and exhale completely for a count of five. Repeat this breath cycle for five to ten rounds. The Sudarshan Kriya is a more active breathing technique that will help to dispel negativity and calm your mind. More information is available online or in a good Yoga manual.
After you have completed five to ten minutes of breathing exercises, you are ready to meditate. You may want to sit in silence and repeat a mantra or sacred word silently to yourself. Sit and practice your mantra for as long as you are comfortable. If you are very fatigued, you can also meditate lying down on your bed with a blanket covering you. You may want to have an eye bag to help you relax and a bolster under your knees. This is your time for rest, relaxation and a bit of pampering.
There are options related to meditation for cancer recovery. Positive affirmations and/or visualizations are another wonderful way to focus on your healing process. You may want to spend a few minutes visualizing yourself surrounded and permeated by a protective white light. You may also like to spend some time visualizing yourself as healthy and whole. Not that you will be healthy, but that you are healthy. Hold this image in your mind for ten minutes or so.
Another healing visualization is to focus on the area in your body where the cancer is located and surround it with cool, blue light. This will help to ease the agitation and inflammation in that area. After your visualizations, spend at least five minutes resting in silent meditation. These practices will have a beneficial emotional and physical effect on your sense of well-being and will, in turn, boost your spirit and your immune system.
© Copyright – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division
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Depression weakens the body’s ability to fight cancer and meditation fight against depression by this way yoga and meditation support to cancer recovery process. Thanks for this nice article.