of all illnesses are stress-related in some manner,
meditation is a valuable tool for healing.
Caregivers are frequently forgotten partners in
treating a sick person. The stress on a caregiver
increases dramatically when the illness is extremely
serious or long-term. This stress increases if the
caregiver has no one to help. This places the caregiver at
risk for illness. Meditation is an inexpensive therapy the
caregiver can practice without leaving home.
Scientists have discovered that meditation has a direct
beneficial effect on the physical body. It can lower blood
pressure, control pain, speed healing time, calm heart
palpitations, lower body temperature, relax the
breathing, and help build the immune system.
Meditation calms, relaxes, and can even make you
drowsy by raising serotonin levels. Serotonin is a natural
brain chemical involved in the sleep process.
In 1987, Dr. David Orme-Johnson of the Maharishi
International University, surveyed people who
meditated. In the nineteen to thirty-nine-year-old age
group, he discovered that people who meditated were
54.7 percent less likely to require visits to a doctor. In
the over forty group, this percentage rose dramatically
to 73.7 percent. And the percentage of meditators in all
age levels who were admitted to the hospital for heart
disease or tumors was extremely low.
With these figures in mind, sick people, caregivers,
and healers should make meditation part of their weekly
routine. Meditation doesn't have to be practiced every
day to work its wonders but should be done at least
three times a week. All meditation requires is you, a
comfortable straight chair (or a pillow so you can sit on
the floor), soft nonvocal music, and five to twenty