MEDITATION

By Dr. Marion Somers, Ph. D., Ask Dr. Marion

QUESTION: I've recently discovered the power of meditation in my life and I'm hoping to introduce my aging mother to it. Do you recommend meditation for the elderly? June in Georgia, 56

ANSWER: Yes, June, in fact I highly recommend it. Whether you call it meditation, centering, prayer, or listening to your inner voice, meditation is a very effective way of silencing the outside world. It's an individual practice that has proven especially beneficial for our elderly population. Meditation is different from communication with friends, neighbors, family, and others during your regular day. It allows you to get in touch with your quiet side. This quietness affects mind, body, and soul in a powerful way. Meditation facilitates learning more about who you truly are and how you're connected to everyone else and everything else in the universe. Your mother might show some initial resistance to the concept. If she does, stick with it and I hope she comes around. I use it with most of my elderly clients, and the results are usually extremely positive.

Meditation can be as simple as focusing on a bouquet of flowers or enjoying a sunrise or sunset. Beauty and quiet are all around us. Marvel at them. Meditation leads us to the depth of our soul where we can meet our core being. I meditate all of the time, even when I'm sitting on a crowded subway in New York. It's less work than you might think, and it's a joyful and uplifting practice.