If you caught our previous blog post on Meditation and the Mind then you will already know how great meditation can be for stress relief, mindfulness, and for alleviating anxiety. Further benefits of this peaceful practice include better sleep, enhanced productivity and better blood flow to the brain. Furthermore, meditation can help you to gain perspective on your life and your decisions.

Meditation may at first seem like an intimidating concept, but once you get into it you will soon discover how simple it is. Being aware of the benefits is the first step to making meditation a part of your life, and the following tips will give you the next push to embracing this practice!

Convenience and Comfort

The place in which you meditate will have a great impact on how easy you find it to reach a place of peace. It is best if you are able to create a quiet space for yourself where you won’t be interrupted by noise or other people. This should be a comfortable space where you can sit free from clutter or distractions. If you know that there is a particular time that is more convenient due to your family, housemates or partner not being home, then try to schedule your meditation during this time.

Lighting incense or playing soothing music is a subtle way to arouse your senses, helping to connect you to your meditation in a deeper way.

Some people prefer to sit on a yoga mat while they meditate, whereas others like to sit on a cushion, or simply on the floor. However you decide to sit, make sure your posture is firm but relaxed.

Preparing to Meditate

Getting your body and mind ready to meditate will help you to get the most out of each session. It is best if you are neither hungry nor full, so eat a few hours beforehand or have a light snack up to an hour before you get started. If you attempt to meditate immediately after a meal then you may find that you begin to doze off!

Warming up your body with some light stretches and preparing your mind with a few deep breaths will help to prepare you. The stretches will get your circulation going and also decrease any restlessness that you may be experiencing. Paying attention to your breathing will help to clear your mind and to hone your attention on the present moment.

After you have done both of these things, you can take a seat in your designated meditation area.

Ready, Steady, Meditate

Once you are comfortable and relaxed, having engaged in your stretches and your breathing warmups, you can close your eyes and bring your attention once more to your breathing.

Your breath in and out should become the most important thing to you in this moment. Invite love, happiness and positivity into your mind with every inhale, and expel negativity from your mind, body and soul with every exhale.

As you continue to meditate you will likely notice that thoughts about your day, your past, your future – thoughts about all kinds of things – will try to enter your mind! This is totally normal and doesn’t mean that you are doing it wrong. Once you become aware of these thoughts, simply acknowledge them, remind yourself of the task at hand and then return your focus solely back to your breathing.

There is no lower or upper time limit when it comes to meditation. However, developing your practice into longer sessions over time will help you to enjoy the benefits in a greater way.

Do not rush to open your eyes when you feel you are ready to finish a session. Do so slowly during a few deep breaths and give yourself a few moments to take in your surroundings before you stand up and resume your day.

One last tip! Try holding a gentle smile on your face the entire time that you are meditating – from beginning your preparation to the last deep breath taken before ending your practice. This will help to keep your mind in a place of positivity and remind you of the boundless happiness that is available to you!

[Physical]

As more and more people become aware of the impact we are having on the environment, it is safe to assume that actions taken to protect the health of our planet will continue to increase!

There are many ways that people are already striving to reduce how their presence is felt by the earth, and these ideas are continuously being spread and embraced.

So, what does the future hold for planet earth?

The Population Problem

The booming population has to be taken into account when considering actions in the future. Just fifty years ago the entire population of the planet was counted below three billion. This figure has more than doubled during the last fifty years to currently exceed seven billion! Experts predict that this number could well reach nine billion by the year 2050.

The largest problem with a rapidly increasing population is maintaining an efficient level of food production for this many people. Food production at such an intense level will inevitably cause further harm to our already fragile environment, and will fuel climate change.

Climate Change Conundrum

As the population grows and contributes to the ever-divisive issue of climate change, more is going to have to be done to combat this. Increasing temperatures, rising sea levels and erratic rainfall patterns create countless associated problems – both for human beings and the rest of the natural world.

It has been estimated by experts that the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere will be twice what it was before the Industrial Revolution by 2050. And, the more CO2 in the air, the more the consequences of climate change will become apparent. Consequences which, in many respects, are irreversible!

Sustainable Growth

In order to support a continuation in the population increase, and to combat the impact of climate change, we must make strides towards embracing sustainable growth. But, what does this mean and how can we all get on board?

Sustainable growth involves finding realistic solutions to support all of the ways in which our planet will continue to develop. But this must be done without causing further harm to the environment. This can be achieved in a number of ways, and requires participation at all levels.

The idea of a carbon footprint is a great way to measure sustainable growth, and the carbon footprint of businesses and individuals must be lowered if we are to protect the planet.

Lowering Your Carbon Footprint

When it comes to big businesses, there are several changes that can be made in regards to the energy that they use and the waste that they create. This is something that will need to be adopted universally to have the greatest impact. However, there are also things that each and every person can do to contribute to positive change.

The following are great ways that you can lower your own carbon footprint:

• Drive less – walk or cycle instead
• Avoid flying where possible
• Eat less meat
• Insulate your home well to use less energy
• Invest in renewable energy
• Support environmentally friendly businesses
• Buy local produce

These are simple small changes that we can adopt in order to become personally responsible for the future of our planet. Click here to read more from PAMA London on the problems our planet faces and how you can help!

[Physical]

Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics used today – if not the most popular – with roughly 20 million tons being produced each year! It is safe to assume that you are never too far away from an item made of cotton! As well as being used to produce a wide range of clothing items, cotton is also used in things like furniture and household items.

To truly understand how popular cotton is, and why this is the case, let’s take a look at some statistics:

• In 2013 more than 82 million tons of textile fibres were manufactured and used, with cotton accounting for approximately 30% of this figure.
• Cotton can absorb more than 20 times its bodyweight in water, meaning it can be dyed easily.
• In order to make just one shirt that is 100% cotton, 0.23kg of the fabric is required.
• In order to make just one bath towel that is 100% cotton, 0.28kg of the fabric is required.

Where Does Cotton Come From?

Cotton grows as an annual crop from a perennial tree. The large majority of cotton is picked from the plants by hand, with just a third of picking being done by machines. It is estimated that one worker will be able to pick up to 30kg of cotton each day.

With the cost of labour increasing in many parts of the world, more farmers are being pushed to invest in mechanical picking. This type of picking is currently most popular in Greece, Spain, Turkey, Colombia, Brazil and Argentina.

The Problem with Cotton

Cotton accounts for between 10% and 20% of all insecticides used for all crops. It is also responsible for between 5% and 10% of all pesticide use. When we consider that less than 3% of all agricultural land in the world is used for growing cotton, then we can see how high the ratio of chemicals to crops is!

Insecticides are a type of pesticide specifically used to target insects, whereas pesticides are chemicals used to deter all pests from crops, and kill them if necessary.

The large amounts of toxic chemicals that are used to manage and mitigate the risk from all pests during cotton production is problematic for several reasons.

First of all, the pesticides go on to contaminate the soil, which will then run through to nearby water sources.

Secondly, pests can develop resistance to these chemicals over time, which then leads to stronger pesticides having to be created. Also, these chemicals can be harmful to the natural enemies of the pests that are being targeted. This seriously disrupts the ecosystem and can cause new problems to arise in terms if which pests the crops need protecting from!

Furthermore, cotton requires massive amounts of water during cultivation. In addition to being incredibly taxing on natural resources, over-watering an area can also decrease the quality of the soil.

Cotton and Climate Change

Industrial fertilisers are often required in order to adequately grow cotton, and the energy required to do so is responsible for between 1 and 2% of the world’s annual energy consumption. The amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere during these processes is certainly a cause for concern when it comes to climate change!

Moving on from Cotton

Increasing the prevalence of sustainable fabrics is one way that we can move on from cotton and embrace more environmentally friendly farming practices and fabrics.

At PAMA London we believe that using recycled charcoal bamboo for clothing production is a much better option than cotton. Click here to read more about our fabric choices and how the planet and the wearer can benefit from making this choice!

[Physical]

Yoga is an all-round incredible practice that benefits your mind, your body and your soul. It can help you to discover peace within yourself, enhance your physical fitness, and improve your mental health and wellbeing.

Encouraging your children to give yoga a try at a young age is an amazing way to help them develop into happy, healthy young adults! Within reason, there is no age too young to get your child into yoga, and there are several very basic poses and stretches that you will be able to flow through with them.

If you are unable to take your child to a yoga class, then practicing at home is also a good way to introduce them to this spiritual activity. The following poses are perfect for getting started. It is a good idea if you do the pose first and then your child can follow suit!

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

This is one of the most common poses for yoga practitioners regardless of their age. It is a great connecting pose between other more complex poses, but can also be held on its own.

To get into this pose you must start on your hands and knees on the mat. Tuck your toes in, lift your buttocks up, and create a triangle with your body. Push your chest forward and allow your head to hang down. You may bend your knees slightly if required. Ensure you keep your feet firmly on the ground as you hold the pose in this position.

Downward Facing Dog is great for getting the blood flowing around the body and will also help your child to develop their balance and stability.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Tadasana is amongst the simplest of the yoga poses and requires more concentration than it does physical ability.

All you have to do is place your feet firmly on the mat with your shoulders relaxed, and feel the crown of your head reach up towards the ceiling. Make sure you balance your weight equally between both feet and hold your hands in prayer position in front of your heart.

Mountain Pose is great for lengthening and strengthening the body, and can help to increase awareness and posture. It is also a good pose to help children focus on their breathing, as they are not distracted by trying to hold themselves in position as they may be with other more complicated poses.

Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

Begin by lying down with your chin on the mat, your belly down and your palms flat on the mat beneath your shoulders. Your legs should be together. Squeeze your thighs and buttocks and bring your head and chest up away from the floor without relying on your arms to do so. Keep your elbows tucked in to the sides of your body and push through your palms into the floor.

Cobra pose is great for stretching the muscles in the shoulders, chest and back. It improves flexibility and boosts the mood. Cobra pose can also help to reduce stiffness in the lower back.

Maintaining Healthy Habits

Yoga is an amazing way to enhance both your physical and mental health, and is therefore very beneficial to encourage your child to embrace. However, some yoga poses can be quite challenging and the key is to have fun and bond with your child. If they are struggling to hold a pose then you should always encourage them to exit the pose and try again.

As you continue to practice yoga together it will be exciting to see how you both progress, and how you feel the benefits in other areas of your life!