When we consider our wellness from a holistic perspective, it's important that we look at our own mental structure, our thoughts and beliefs, and the repetitive and stress-driven activities that engage most of our waking thoughts. Some studies in cognitive science suggest that 98% of our thoughts are the same thoughts we had yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and because of this repetition, most of us are only using about 2% of our total brain capacity on any given day. Our evolution depends on each of us using more than that.

Meditation is one of the oldest practices for de-stressing the mind and expanding consciousness; some meditation techniques date back at least 5,000 years. Today, there are hundreds of scientific studies on meditators that show the power of the mind to influence the body, and many bodymind techniques, such as guided visualization and prepare for surgery counseling, use this power to create greater wellness.

I recommend all my bodymind integration clients and bodywork students to consider at some point developing a regular meditation practice. De-stressing the mental chatter of the mind allows the body to relax, the adrenals to calm down, metabolism to slow, brain wave frequencies to deepen, and perception to open more broadly. Studies verify that meditation produces overwhelmingly positive effects: it lowers stress hormone levels, slows biological aging, develops greater creativity and problem-solving, de-stresses the body and emotions, and teaches the brain to remain in the calmer alpha and theta brain wave frequencies.