Many people in Coastal Bend may need to realize the full benefits of meditation for their mental and physical well-being.
Omar Davis, a meditation instructor with eight years of experience, believes meditation is about finding balance. “Meditation primarily involves focusing your attention for a set period,” Davis explained.
According to Davis, meditation offers a natural way to connect with your emotions. “While there are various styles and deeper aspects to understand, the core principle of meditation is about self-awareness. It’s about recognizing your own emotions and reactions. Are you feeling stressed, or are you feeling good at the moment?”
Meditation is a technique for clearing the mind and understanding oneself better. Clifton Pope, a resident of Coastal Bend, practices meditation daily and attests to its benefits.
“I first tried meditation in 2017 while studying to become a pharmacy technician,” said Pope. “I was as nervous and stressed as anyone would be on the exam day.”
After adopting this calming technique, Pope reports significant improvements in his mental and physical well-being. “I felt an instinct to meditate for about 20 minutes,” he recalled. “It was the most relaxed I’d felt in years, and when I took the test, I passed.”
Beyond mental wellness, experts suggest that meditation could also have physical health benefits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many American adults suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure. Dr. Ernesto Guido, a neurologist based in Corpus Christi, weighed in on the matter.
“When you engage in breathing exercises and meditation, you stimulate the vagus nerve, releasing acetylcholine. This slows down your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure,” explained Dr. Guido.
Dr. Guido suggests that meditation could reduce the likelihood of facing health issues like heart disease and stroke.
Davis advises a minimum of five minutes of daily meditation for best results.