Prescribing Meditation for Depressed Patients

Meditation Improves Our HealthI Often Prescribe Meditation to My Patients

I often prescribe meditation to my patients, and I also meditate myself to improve my health.

Before beginning my day, I usually take a few moments to meditate and prepare myself for the work I am about to do, before seeing a patient in my offices. This simple ritual helps me to feel that I am fully present when my patients come to see me,  and that they have my undivided attention.

I also take time to meditate before prescribing a naturopathic treatment plan. I believe these small acts help me function better as a naturopathic doctor. And I feel my patients can sense the way that I have taken the time to prepare a safe space for them and they appreciate the effort.

Similarly, more often than not, I will teach them some very simple and basic meditation techniques; that they can incorporate into their daily lives. Sometimes, even the slightest effort can have a dramatic effect on a persons’ mood and overall outlook on life.

Learning to Meditate as a Treatment

One of the most intriguing meditations techniques I encourage patients to try is based on Vipassana mediation . I first learned about Vipassana while watching the documentary The Dhamma Brothers. The film is a fascinating documentary on how meditation is being used effectively reduce violence in a prison population. Vipassana meditation has also been taught in prisons in other countries as well, like India.

The basis of this technique is fairly straight forward and is focused on encouraging the meditator to focus on the breath.  The simple act of watching the breath as one inhales and exhales, and returning gently back to the breath when the mind wanders, is a common mediation technique

Even Meditating for Only a Few Minutes is Healthful

For most people, I ask that they spend 20 minutes in meditation in the morning and 20 minutes before bed everyday to see the best results. Of course, if a person chooses to spend more time meditating that is fine, but usually just this small effort can be very healthful. It’s through small practices like these that I often see my patients experience the greatest healing.

I remember when I first started to meditate a little over a year ago. In the beginning, I had a very hard time sitting quietly. However, within a very short amount of time I was able to sit for the prescribed 20 minutes with little effort.

I love to sit and meditate in my office before and after seeing patients. The space I have created there is so peaceful that I often have no desire to leave. And I would like to believe that these small acts— to create a more peaceful space for myself and my patients— do a bit of good in the world that we inhabit.

To find out more about my work, please visit my web-pages at http://www.doctorwhimsy.com/

Dr. Whimsy Anderson, ND

 

 

Dr. Whimsy

I am a Naturopathic doctor, Medical Intuitive, Energy medicine/Healing touch practitioner and Tarot reader. I practice the old wise woman ways and have always been drawn to traditional medicine. I practice in the greater Los Angeles area. Tel: (323) 762-3982 Office@DoctorWhimsy.com

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