You’ve probably never considered meditation as an activity that can improve your life. After all, the whole idea of sitting still, contemplating your existence, and trying not to move sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. But thanks to the latest scientific research, meditation has now been proven to have immensely positive results on a person’s health and psychological wellbeing.
I know what you’re thinking
You’ve tried meditating before and it wasn’t for you. Too boring or weird, maybe? Well, here’s what I have to say about that: YOU WERE WRONG! Meditation isn’t just relaxing. I mean sure, that’s a great by-product of it but it has so much more to offer plus I think it would be cool if we could start referring to meditation as a “cool” thing we do instead of the wordy title people tend to use: ‘the practice of calming the mind and feeling more at peace and less stressed out through focusing on your breathing while experiencing total stillness without trying to improve your thoughts while in a seated position with your eyes closed…and other things…’
Did you know that Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, and Charles Darwin were all meditators? What about Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, and the Dalai Lama? And did you know that some of the world’s most successful companies and organizations regularly practice meditation? There is a growing movement of people that is showing the connection between their personal progress, their work-life, and their business.
Also read: Why is it important to study the sociology of education?
A lot of people I know are doing meditation these days
To some, it seems like a fad — the latest in-thing to do after taking up running. They don’t understand what the point of it is. Why would you want to sit still and focus on your breathing? What good does that do?
But, as someone who has been meditating for over two years and has benefited immensely from it, I can say that there are several reasons why you should adopt this practice into your life.
You don’t have to be religious (or spiritual at all) to reap the benefits
Some people think that meditation is only for monks or yoga enthusiasts but it’s not true. Meditation is a way to get in touch with your inner self, which can enlighten you and provide you with a new perspective on life. It’s about listening to your body and mind, understanding yourself better, and achieving inner peace.
Meditation is the practice of training your mind. Whether you’re new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, we have compiled the following guide to help you understand the basics of this powerful practice.
MEDITATION BASICS
- Meditation is not just a process, it’s an experience. There are many different ways to meditate, and some methods can be more effective than others. Here, we will discuss several methods that are simple and easy to follow.
- The mantra meditation technique is based on the repetition of a word, sound, or phrase. Mantra meditation requires concentration on the chosen word or phrase for extended periods of time (5-15 minutes). Repeating a word over and over again with each breath may help you achieve deeper levels of inner peace and relaxation.
- Walking meditation is another type of simple mantra meditation technique. In walking meditation, one repeats either a word or a short phrase mentally as he/she walks at his/her normal pace and even step length. One can choose to walk indoors on a quiet floor or outdoors on grass and dirt paths, barefoot if possible. This walking mantra provides exercise for the body while calming the mind and helping one avoid stressful situations in everyday life.
Health Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is a practice where people deliberately pay attention to their thoughts or to their bodily sensations. It may sound simple, but it is not easy to do. One problem that people have with meditation is that they cannot quiet their minds.
Trying to meditate when your mind keeps wandering and planning can be frustrating. However, there are ways to help you learn how to focus on what you want during the practice of meditation. You may have heard that meditation is good for stress relief; however, there are many other benefits of meditation. The following are some of the health benefits of meditation:
- Relieve stress
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Improve immune system function
- Increase brain function
- Increase self-awareness
Takeaway
Anyone who has ever practiced meditation knows just how much of a difference it makes on one’s mental health. With the many stresses that are in these days, we have little room for any more as it is. That’s where meditation comes in. It’s something that anyone can do, either at home or, if they are at work, they can still do something similar to it, with a view to simply help them unwind and be relaxed before they go home to work on making the best out of their lives.
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