Meditative mindfulness - A new class at the Yoga Room offers health and peace in 90 minutes
In a soothing, deeply resonating voice, Dr.
Russ Phillips tells the class to close their
eyes.
And he begins reading.
"Concentrate on your breathing,"
he says. "Deep. In. Out."
Sitting cross legged on pillows and mats, six
people suck in the Yoga Room's musky herbal
smell. They close their eyes, drawing a black
veil over the room's exposed brick and poetry-laden
walls.
Words on the wall behind Dr. Phillips describe
the phenomenon taking place:
"Breathing in," it reads. "I
calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling
in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful
moment."
"Nothing else is drawing your attention,"
Dr. Phillips says.
As he reads, members of the meditation and
mindfulness class -- a new addition to the Yoga
Room's regular schedule of classes -- stop shifting.
Meditation is an ancient art, dating back to
before the birth of Christ. According to the
University of Florida, Buddha was the first
meditation icon. He pioneered the idea of clearing
one's mind and thus clearing the body of stress,
anxiety and other worldly concerns.
Today, practitioners teach several different
types of meditation. Some are done while walking
or moving, and others, like the exercise Dr.
Phillips guides the class through, involve sitting
quietly and attempting to clear the mind.
Dr. Phillips continues reading.
"As you inhale, you inhale white light,"
he says. "As you exhale, you exhale all
the impurities that might be in your body. The
body becomes whiter and whiter."
The whiteness, he tells the class, consumes
their bodies and the room.
And eventually, he says, their whiteness blends
together.
While some health experts remain skeptical
of its healing capabilities, many large traditional
hospitals include meditation therapy in their
approach to treating chronic illness. In fact,
nearly 65 percent of the National Cancer Institute's
treatment centers offer meditation in their
treatment plans. And, according to the American
Cancer Society, a controlled study of 90 cancer
patients found that those who did mindfulness
meditation had a 31 percent reduction in stress
symptoms and a 67 percent lower rate of mood
disturbance than those who did not meditate.
The society says meditation involves clearing
the mind by recognizing and letting go of all
intruding thoughts. It can also include visualization
of positive things, like increased energy and
health.
The whiteness, filling the minds of those in
the Yoga Room, is designed to symbolize positive
energy. And as Dr. Phillips continues, he tells
the participants to picture the white light
forming into a ball in each of their palms.
"They have acquired concreteness,"
Dr. Phillips recites. "Give them more energy."
While she pictures the white balls of light
vibrating in her palms, Margaret Lister feels
a warm sensation building.
Before long, the warmth spreads to her fingertips.
Ms. Lister, who has a thyroid problem, says
her hands rarely get warm.
"It's pretty incredible," she says.
Emily Waddell-Fite, Yoga Room owner and instructor,
says meditation is known for increasing blood
flow, which might have been what Ms. Lister
experienced.
"Our lives are so busy and hectic, and
meditation allows us to slow down," Ms.
Waddell-Fite says. "And when we slow down
and just breathe, it boosts our immune systems
and helps lower our blood pressure."
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine says regular meditation can reduce
chronic pain, anxiety, high blood pressure,
cholesterol, substance abuse and blood cortisol
levels brought on by stress. Some practitioners
also say the practice improves mood and fertility.
At the end of the exercise, Dr. Phillips asks
the class to send a ball of energy to a friend
or family member in need of health. The other,
he directs them to move toward their own heart.
Inhaling deeply himself, he directs them to
bring their minds back to the Yoga Room.
"With a few more breaths, come out of
your meditation at our own pace," he says.
Slowly, they open their eyes.
