The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you "make time" for meditation in your life.
Repeating a phrase can reduce your stress
Mumbling to yourself may not be as crazy as it seems. Repeating a mantra–a meaningful word or phrase said silently–can help you cope with the hassles of life, finds a new study from the Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System. In it, 66 volunteers were taught to repeat a mantra (sometimes called a mantram) of their choice as often as possible during low-stress activities such as washing dishes or getting ready for bed. The goal was to train their brains to associate the phrase with calmness so they could employ it to counter turmoil. Mantras varied: Some chose words or phrases with religious meanings, while others went secular–one golfer repeated fairways and greens.
Regardless of their choice, the returns were similar:
Six months later, 83% had employed their mantras to help them stay calm, and 75% were able to ease stress, frustration, and tension. “Mantras are a Jacuzzi for the mind,” says lead researcher Jill Bormann, PhD, RN. “And unlike many stress-reduction techniques, you can literally use this anywhere, anytime.”
Meditation is generally an inwardly oriented, personal practice, which individuals do by themselves. Meditation may involve invoking or cultivating a feeling or internal state, such as compassion, or attending to a specific focal point.
“Mindfulness” is the spiritual practice of being aware of your present moment. World famous Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh has developed the use of a bowl-gong in a practice he calls the “mindfulness bell.” When you hear the sound of the mindfulness bell, you are invited to take a moment to breathe in and out and center yourself in the present. This practice allows the sound of the bowl-gong to periodically connect you to the peace and tranquility that resides inside you right now. This delightful practice reduces stress and improves your overall health.
The Zen Timepiece can serve as a mindfulness bell in two ways: it can be set to strike on the hour (providing an hourly moment of stillness), or it can be set to strike at a programmed interval, such as every 20 minutes, or even every three hours.
adapted from Prevention by By Rachel Meltzer Warren
This unique "Zen Clock" features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings the meditation session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal.
Now & Zen – The Meditation Timer Shop – Timers & Clocks with Gentle Sounds
1638 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
(800) 779-6383
orders@now-zen.com
Posted in Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice
