reflectional Journal
The primary goal of meditation is to achieve a deep state of relaxation, usually by concentrating on one repetitive stimulus so that all other thoughts and images are blocked out. This narrowing of concentration, accompanied by deep, slow breathing, effectively reduces the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (e.g., by lowering heart rate and respiration rate) and slows down metabolism. Meditation promotes feelings of well-being and relaxation, and has been used to help people cope with stress as well as to treat certain medical problems (e.g., drug addiction). Try It Yourself: Find a place and time where you can be free from distractions and turn down the light for 20 minutes.Read the directions through so you can remember the steps. You may want to set a silent timer (on a phone, perhaps) and have a paper and pencil nearby for the end.
After about 10 minutes, start focusing on bodily sensations as well as the sounds in the room around them. After you feel re-oriented to the world around you, reflect on the following questions.
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