Leonard: Metta Meditation For Stress Reduction, Health

By LAURA LEONARD
Doctor of Chiropractic

Metta in the Buddhist tradition means loving-kindness and Metta meditation involves sending thoughts of loving kindness to yourself and others.

For those of us who are new to meditation, Metta meditation is a great way to get started because it is an active practice and we are not required to clear our mind to gain benefits.

When we are working toward loving ourselves and others unconditionally, our daily life gets less stressful.

From a neuroscience perspective, our brain cannot focus on positive and negative thoughts at the same time. Research published in the journal Psychoneuroimmunology showed that the practice of Metta meditation for 20 minutes per day over an eight-week period reduced stress hormone levels and inflammatory levels in participants.

Reducing stress hormones and inflammation is the key to staying young. One thing I have noticed in my patients over the years is that the healthiest of them weren’t the ones living the cleanest lifestyles, they were the ones who were the least stressed out.

It seems being an eternal optimist may be one of the keys to living a long and healthy life.

“Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are; it solely relies on what you think.” –Buddha

Scripts from oneminddharma.com to get started:

“May I be happy.”
“May I be healthy.”
“May I be safe.”
“May I be at ease.”

Dr. Laura Leonard has a BSc in Neuroscience and is a Doctor of Chiropractic. She has been in practice for 20 years and recently joined Dr. Lenz and Dr. Savoia at the Los Alamos Chiropractic Center. Dr. Leonard’s practice focuses on posture and performance using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is in the Mary Deal Building on Trinity Drive.

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