This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts training. Qi gong (CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. You can observe your thoughts and emotions. You focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your breath. In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. This type of meditation is based on being mindful, or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present moment. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher. You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds and textures. But it may be a useful addition to your other treatment.

Meditation isn't a replacement for traditional medical treatment. In some rare cases, meditation might worsen symptoms associated with certain mental health conditions. With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:īe sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these conditions or other health problems. While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation, some researchers believe it's not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible benefits of meditation. Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations.

The emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include: When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. Meditation and emotional and physical well-being And meditation may help you manage symptoms of certain medical conditions.

Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day. And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends.

Practising the power of now