In today’s busy world of working, networking, exchanging of emails, texts, and family problems, we are saturated with stress and overload. Our minds are rarely at rest and our bodies are paying the ultimate price.
Yet you see other people handling the situation better and you summon the courage to ask “how do you do it all?” Then you get the response “I meditate.”
Please don’t walk away shaking your head. Let’s introduce you to that thing called meditation.
Meditation is one way to combat the effects of daily stress, and take back control of your health. Just 20 minutes a day can reduce stress and help your brain recharge.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of meditation:
It has been discovered that simple meditation techniques can do so much, including:
1. Increase your circulation.
2. Throw more blood to the prefrontal cortex.
3. Enhance your executive function, working memory, concentration, and visuospatial processing.
4. Help you hold images longer.
5. Process information better.
6. Allow for contemplation, intuition, and creativity to thrive.
How to begin a meditation practice?
Meditation does not have to be associated with any religious practice. It is viewed as secular and scientific and pretty easy to get started.
- Set your alarm for 20 minutes, twice a day. This is the time you will be meditating. By setting your alarm, you relax and don’t have to worry about how much longer you have to go. You can also sit or lie down with your eyes shut in a comfortable position.
- In the beginning, your mind will wander and bring in outside sounds and thoughts; just invite all of your distractions into your meditation, don’t resist them. What you resist might persist at this point in time. Ultimately, all of these distractions will fall away as you learn to focus on your breath.
- Some people like using a mantra, some people like using a word. The power of a mantra is that you can’t assign a meaning to it, therefore you can’t associate any thoughts with it as you empty your mind.
Some others simply concentrate on their breath (inhale and exhale). - Before you begin to meditate, relax your body starting from the tip of your toes and ending at the top of your head. Just squeeze and release and check in with your body, making sure that you are relaxed.
- Then, follow your breath. As you breathe in you will notice that the breath is cool, as you breath out you will notice that your breath is warm. Focus on your breath while concentrating on the bridge between your eyes.
It’s simple! That’s how you meditate. Do this for a short time span and then increase the timing as you master the art.
Through meditation you actually develop consciousness. In fact, by accessing your own unconscious state, you can gather insight into your conflicts, and find the capacity and resources to meet them.
That is the power of meditation.
How has meditation helped you deal with everyday issues? Please share with us in the comment section.