Practicing meditation can help students in more ways than one, say experts
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You might have heard the word a number of times, perhaps grown tired of it even, but it is important,; it can help you, and you can do this: Meditation- the art of controlling your mind, keeping it focused in the midst of distractions. The earlier you start it, the better for you. It does not matter if you start it in class five or at age five, studies show that meditation can benefit kids and students in a number of ways. However, let us not get into the typical ‘benefits of meditation’ lecture just yet.
The question that you are probably asking now is what is this exactly, and how do I learn this?’ To be honest, you have to learn meditation under the guidance of an authentic, certified teacher, but we can give you a brief outline.
What exactly is meditation
Meditation means cultivating the ability to observe and regulate your thoughts and emotions. That means, when you get angry, don’t fall prey to the rage. Instead, tell yourself “Now I am angry and I must bring this anger under control.” Similarly, when you are studying for exams and your mind starts thinking about your favourite TV show, you have to recognise the distraction, and bring the mind back to studies.
How does it help:
“Meditation has been described as the most superior of Yoga disciplines, and it can be very useful for children,” says Margao-based physician and certified meditation teacher Dr Venkatesh Hegde. “Meditation works to relax the mind. It can help children combat the stress of studies and any other mental disturbances they encounter. Secondly, meditation helps in creativity.” adds the doctor, who is associated with a spiritual organisation and conducts meditation courses for children between age 8 to 12, and 12 to 18. Studies also suggest that practicing meditation, which leads to a relaxed mind, gives you better sleep-which in turn boosts your concentration.
“In order to practice meditation, it is vital to relax the body too. Hence, it is recommended that you practice some stretching exercises before beginning meditation.” the teacher explains, “Secondly, do practice Pranayama, because control over your breathing is essential.”
