may also be due to participants tending to
adopt healthier lifestyle choices; choosing
healthier foods, regular exercise and sleep
patterns and reducing alcohol, drugs and
smoking use. Weekly attendance at services
is associated with increased life expectancy.
buddhist Sarah Johnson* said Buddhism
transformed her life.
sarah experienced a nonreligious
childhood; her early religious views
stemmed from those of her father, a scientist
and an atheist, who regarded religious need
as a weakness. This attitude toward religion
was reinforced in Sarah when she began
attending church in high school and God
did not "reveal himself" .
by midlife and confronted with the
seriousness of life, juggling work, mortgage
payments, kids, separation, illnesses and
deaths amongst friends, Sarah starting
looking for some external support.
"a friend offered help by sharing
some Buddhist information that I found
immediately resonated for me. When I
didn't know what to do I found thinking
about what a Buddhist monk would do and
using Buddhism as a moral compass helped
me find a way through challenges," she said.
starting with meditation, three
and half years ago, lead to Sarah attending
temple, learning about Buddhism and
teaching Buddhism.
"by feeling connected to a
spirituality it gives this life meaning, and
I am able to experience much more
happiness and peace by getting everything
in perspective and learning that what we
experience as problems are so much more
under our control than I was bought up to
think and what most of the world makes us
think, " she said.
also contributed to her overall health.
"i can't remember the last time I had
a cold, whereas although I've always been
pretty healthy, before I was constantly
catching colds and sniffles, particularly
when stressed. Now if I feel really tired and
ragged, 10 minutes meditation makes me
feel like I have had a really good night's
sleep and feel really well and refreshed."
· Allow yourself 10 minutes every day to be still and
· Share your challenge experiences with us