As per the report released by the Aspen Institute’s Finance Leaders Fellowship, an estimated four hundred and 50 million people globally suffer from mental health conditions, underscoring a pervasive crisis exacerbated by inadequate funding and lack of infrastructure.
Mental health issues are the leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to suicide, the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. Economic impacts are severe, with mental health conditions costing global GDP approximately one trillion US Dollars annually due to lost productivity.
World Health Organization data reveals that approximately 280 million people in the world have depression. Depression is about 50% more common among women than among men. Worldwide, more than 10% of pregnant women and women who have just given birth experience depression. More than seven hundred thousand people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15–29-year-olds.
As per Mental Health America, mental health issues arise from a complex interplay of various factors, including genetic, environmental, and psychological influences like trauma and stress.
Stress is an inevitable part of modern life, often resulting from a variety of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges. Although the body's stress response was essential for our ancestors' survival, chronic stress has become a major concern in today’s fast-paced world. Long-term stress leads to various negative health effects, including cardiovascular issues, immune suppression, emotional imbalances, and cognitive decline.
One effective and holistic way to manage stress is through body shaking meditation, a practice rooted in ancient shamanic healing systems and modernized traditions such as Osho Active Meditation. By combining movement and somatic release, this technique helps individuals manage stress, balance stress hormones like cortisol, and improve overall well-being. The article will explore how stress arises in the body and mind, how it is regulated by body shaking meditation, and how this practice helps alleviate the detrimental effects of chronic stress.
The Science Behind Stress: How It Affects the Mind and Body
When the mind perceives a situation as threatening, the brain activates two key systems to handle the stress: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). These systems trigger the release of adrenaline and cortisol, the primary stress hormones that prepare the body for the fight or flight response. While this response is critical for survival in short-term situations, chronic stress, caused by long-term activation of these systems, results in significant physical and emotional problems. US Neurosurgery Professor at Stanford University, Dr Robert Sapolsky explains in his book Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers that prolonged stress can lead to cardiovascular issues, immune system suppression, and even cognitive decline.
The HPA axis plays a central role in the stress response by regulating cortisol production. When activated repeatedly due to ongoing stress, this system becomes dysregulated, leading to consistently high cortisol levels. Research by Dr Bruce Sherman McEwen, an American neuroendocrinologist at Rockefeller University. highlights how chronic stress causes structural changes in the brain, particularly affecting regions responsible for memory and emotional regulation, such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.
How Body Shaking Meditation Helps Manage Stress
The Body Shaking Meditation is a somatic technique designed to release tension stored in the body, calm the nervous system, and promote emotional release. Drawing from practices such as Osho Active Meditation and shamanic shaking rituals, body shaking helps reset the body's natural rhythms and bring it back into balance after periods of stress.
In Osho Active Meditation, shaking is one of the core techniques used to release physical and emotional blockages. Osho, a controversial spiritual teacher from India, emphasized that modern life causes individuals to suppress emotions, which are then stored in the body as tension. Through shaking, these suppressed emotions and stress are brought to the surface and released, allowing for both physical and emotional healing.
Similarly, shamanic healing systems use shaking rituals to clear negative energy, stress, and trauma from the body. These rituals are based on the belief that rhythmic, spontaneous movement helps reconnect individuals with their body’s natural energy and promotes a deeper sense of balance.
Regulating Cortisol Levels Through Body Shaking Meditation
The stress hormone cortisol is essential for managing immediate challenges by providing energy and enhancing focus. However, when cortisol levels remain elevated for long periods, it can contribute to health problems like weight gain, immune suppression, and mental health disorders. According to Dr George P. Chrousos, Greek-American endocrinologist, prolonged stress leads to disorders in the stress system, resulting in diseases like depression, obesity, and cardiovascular problems
Body shaking meditation works to regulate cortisol levels by calming the nervous system. Rhythmic shaking activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which counteracts the stress-inducing effects of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This process helps bring the body out of the fight or flight state and into a relaxed state, lowering cortisol levels and restoring balance.
Dr Bruce McEwen's research underscores the importance of engaging in practices that promote relaxation and reduce stress hormone levels. Regular use of stress-reduction techniques like body shaking can help prevent the negative effects of chronic stress on the brain and body .
Emotional and Psychological Benefits of Body Shaking Meditation
In addition to its physical benefits, body shaking meditation helps release emotional tension. Stress and trauma are often stored in the body, manifesting as tightness, pain, or discomfort in muscles. Shaking provides an outlet for these stored emotions to be processed and released.
Osho's teachings on active meditation emphasize that uncontrolled, rhythmic movement allows emotional energy to rise to the surface and be released, freeing individuals from their emotional burdens. By clearing these blockages, body shaking meditation enhances emotional well-being and mental clarity .
Shamanic healing practices also use shaking as a way to purge negative emotions and restore balance to the body's energy field. This process aligns with the somatic approach of recognizing the body as a vessel that holds onto emotional stress. According to Dr Bessel van der Kolk, professor at Harvard Medical School, trauma and stress are stored in the body, and practices that incorporate physical movement are essential for healing and emotional recovery.
Integrating Body Shaking Meditation into Daily Life
Body shaking meditation is a simple yet effective practice that can be easily integrated into daily life. This is how we can practice it :
Introduction (2-3 minutes)
Find a comfortable standing position, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable or soften your gaze. Take a few deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
1. Setting Intentions (2 minutes)
Begin to bring awareness to your body. Acknowledge any areas of tension or discomfort. As you breathe deeply, set an intention for this practice—perhaps to release stress, increase energy, or cultivate a sense of peace.
2. Gentle Movement (5 minutes)
Start to gently sway from side to side, allowing your arms to hang loosely. Let your body start to feel the rhythm of this gentle movement. With each breath, feel the release of tension as you sway. Focus on your breath: inhaling for four counts, holding for two, and exhaling for six.
3. Initiating Shaking (5 minutes)
Now, begin to shake your body gently. Start with your hands, letting them shake freely. Gradually move this shaking through your arms, shoulders, and down into your torso. Feel the energy moving through you. Allow your knees to bend slightly, and let your hips shake as well. Continue shaking for several minutes. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this. Let go and have fun with it!
4. Intensifying the Shaking (5 minutes)
As you continue to shake, increase the intensity if it feels right. Shake vigorously—allow your whole body to engage. Let out any sounds that feel natural, whether it's laughter, sighs, or vocalizations. Feel the release of pent-up energy and stress with each shake. This is a time for liberation!
5. Slowing Down (5 minutes)
Gradually start to slow the shaking. Begin to bring your movements to a gentle stop. Allow your body to settle and feel the sensations in your muscles. Stand still for a moment, and take a few deep, grounding breaths. Feel the energy flowing through your body.
6. Closing and Reflection (5 minutes)
With your eyes still closed or softly gazing down, bring your awareness back to your breath. Notice how your body feels—lighter, more relaxed, or energized. Take this moment to reflect on your experience. When you feel ready, gently open your eyes and bring your awareness back to the room.
Body shaking meditation is a powerful and accessible way to manage stress by releasing tension stored in the body, regulating cortisol levels, and promoting emotional well-being. Drawing from traditions like Osho Active Meditation and shamanic healing systems, this practice encourages rhythmic movement to release stress and improve both mental and physical health.
Scientific research has shown that chronic stress has profound effects on both the brain and body, but practices like body shaking meditation can help reset the nervous system and restore balance. As Dr Sapolsky, Dr McEwen, and Dr Chrousos suggest, finding ways to regulate the stress response is crucial for long-term health. By regularly practicing body shaking meditation, individuals can reduce cortisol levels, enhance emotional resilience, and achieve a deeper sense of relaxation and well-being.
(Ojha is a meditation teacher with a PhD in communication. He can be reached at: badrio@gmail.com)
