What is Meditation. Basic info.
Meditation is for the mind what is exercise for the body, and even more. It is hands down, One of the most powerful life changing habits.
Meditation is a practice or skill where a person uses a technique to be more aware, calm and present. There are many different techniques but they have similar results.
A misconception, many believe, about meditation is that, it has something to do with a religion. “You should be a monk to Meditate” or “only Buddhists meditate”.
Despite the fact that we don’t know exactly where it comes from, it definitely can be practiced from anyone. It is like learning a new skill.
Although it may look like a trend, it is definitely a great habit to build. Practicing meditation doesn’t have to be for hours or in specific places, it can be done very easily and simply almost everywhere.
The benefits of meditation are many ! They vary from person to person and from technique to technique.
I had to read and search a lot about meditation to convince myself that I had to try it. It definitely worth the search and the decision to try it
I would like to point out that, in the beginning it takes time to see the benefits. Don’t worry if you don’t see something different in you it will eventually come.
Let’s get into the 7 benefits of meditation you will eventually encounter and enjoy:
7 Benefits of Meditation.
1. Reduces stress and Helps to control anxiety.
When practicing meditation one of the first things we notice is that it helps with stress issues. It seems to reduce stress. Most people start meditating just because it reduces stress.
It seems to reduce stress and it actually does reduce it. No catch on that.!
Many researches through years including many participants have shown that meditation helps with the stress levels. It is easier to observe it on people with high levels of stress.
Studies have also found that because it reduced stress it may also help to improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, i.e. post-traumatic stress disorder.
As we go on meditating for a long time we will get to know ourself better. That means we will be able to understand what causes stress on us and how to handle it.!
Stress is linked to anxiety. Less stress means less anxiety.
Meditation helped participants, in many studies, to reduce and control their anxiety. In addition these studies showed that different types/techniques of meditation had the same results on reducing and controlling anxiety.
Furthermore it reduces symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety, phobia and panic attacks.
Don’t get me wrong tho, it is habitual meditation that helps, not a once in a week practice.
2. Improves Health. Mental, Physical and Emotional.
This benefit is totally backed up by science, not that others are made of my head!
What I mean is that it is the most difficult to accept. Something that improves health just by sitting?!
First of all, meditation helps a lot in the connection: body and mind. I mention this here because it will help a lot to observe and feel most of the things I will write below.
Physical health.
Meditation can help to:
- Boost Immune system.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Improve blood circulation.
- Lower heart rate.
- Lower blood cortisol levels.
- and many other…
All of these improve overall health making our every day life easier and more enjoyable. A simple tip to start observing and feeling them is the decrease of chances to catch a cold or some body pains reduction.
Although some of meditation techniques will help more than others in, for example, boosting immune system, all of them will have positive impact. All of the meditation will help on those listed above.
Mental health.
Many studies and people’s experiences have shown that meditation puts your body in a more relaxed state, even more than sleep. Meditation creates a deep connection with muscles, as a result you are able to control them which helps in relaxation.
Thus a deeper connection with inner being will get you in a state of calmness. Both during the practice and after it. The after period will continue to enlarge as you continue the meditation every day.
A great benefit of meditation is that, it generates kindness. I know it sounds weird, but its true.
When we let ourself relaxed, in a state of calmness, we begin to realize more about us and our thoughts! We begin to accept things about us. Furthermore we develop kind feelings and thoughts towards ourself.
As we continue to practice we extend this kindness along with forgiveness and acceptance towards family, friends and even “enemies”(i like more to call them “no point mentioning people”) .
Twenty-two studies of a meditation technique have demonstrated its ability to increase peoples’ compassion toward themselves and others.
Emotional health.
Meditation as we discussed improves self-acceptance and self-kindness. Considering this meditation will leas to improved self-image and positive thinking and outlook on life.
Numerous studies found that people who meditate tend to have more positive thinking and optimism than those who don’t!
Another great result of researches is that a habitual meditation may help in decrease of depression.
I don’t like to repeat myself, But when it comes to meditation, results will come after at least a month of practice!
3. Helps with Sleep issues. Improves Sleep.
Have you ever been in bed, rolling in the blankets, not being able to sleep? Having those worrying, disturbing thoughts popping up every once in a while?
As it seems you and me aren’t the only ones that do. Half of earths population has some sort of insomnia.
First of all it is normal after a long, difficult day to have many things going on in your head. So don’t immediately consider yourself sick!
We are here to find a way to calm and let these thoughts be as we rest and sleep. You guessed right, that way is Meditation!
A simple study compared 2 groups of people , one groups practiced meditation and the other didn’t. The group that practiced meditation fell asleep sooner and stayed asleep longer.
Practicing meditation in the morning or during the day is great and it definitely will help with sleep issues. Furthermore it is even better to meditate again before night sleep.
It is what I definitely recommend. It will help you relax your body, let go of thoughts attention and place yourself in a peaceful state. Thus having a better night sleep in time and quality.
A person able to sleep the moment he/she lies on bed is a form of happiness.
4. Improves Focus and memory.
Nowadays trying to focus on one thing is hard,because there are so many distractions. I could say : there is so much noise!
So we need to focus on one thing we want to, despite the noises appearing. Here comes meditation!
Researches comparing people who practice and not meditation, found that the group of people practicing meditation had an increase in ability to reorient and maintain focus longer.
When You keep focusing, keeping your attention on one thing, it doesn’t mean that your thoughts are gone. It means you are able to just let them be, let them pass and continue with your task.
5. Keystone Habit and Can Help Fight Addiction.
Keystone habit is a basic,strong habit that generates/triggers more good habits.
Like exercise, meditation is for lots of people a keystone habit. Just because we connect more with ourselves and our being.
That means just by discipline Yourself to Meditate everyday you will find yourself wanting to build more good habits after a period.
Building new good habits means you will be able to replace some bad old habits. Although it doesn’t mean you will make no effort, but that it will be easier and may come natural to you.
Thus It is a way to fight and overcome addictions. The whole thing of understanding yourself, building more connection to it and building more good habits can help a lot with addictions.
There are numerous studies about people who after practicing meditation where able to can fight and overcome addictions.
6. Enhances Deep self-understanding and Self Awareness.
Something I found when I was starting my self-improvement (personal development) journey) was : “I don’t really know myself after all”.
How many times have you paused to listen to yourself? We are great at judging and giving our precious opinions to others, how they should act or what to do even to think with a difficult situation. But I realized we should do that more about ourselves.
The thing about meditation is that: You become more and more you.
David Lynch
It may sounds obvious but I don’t mean to judge and criticize yourself, that doesn’t helo at all. I mean to understand deeply the course and cause of your actions.
Meditation is the best way to do it. Although it won’t be so obvious at the beginning, as time goes by self-understanding will come naturally and will surprise you!
As many researches have found that individual’s practicing meditation shown an increase self-understanding and self-awareness. Experiencing reduced feelings of loneliness and able to recognize self-defeating thoughts.
Self-awareness is one of the most important things when it comes to self. When you are able to truly be aware of you, your thoughts, your life changes tremendously.!
7. Meditation : Be more present.
Hands down the most surprising thing I realized, while reading self-improvement books, was the “now”. We only have “now”, the one and only present.
As I mentioned in number 6 benefit, meditation enhances self-understanding and self-awareness. Self-awareness is a constant focus on the given moment, the “now”.
Also practicing meditation means by definition “be more present”. In all types of meditation, as far as I know, we are observing only “now”. It can be the breath, our steps even visualization.
“be present” is for me the most important thing in self-improvement, and one of the most important things in life. People caught in past and future miss most of their lives.!
You are not your Mind.
It takes time but You have to think about it a lot and practice meditation to really feel it!
You can’t be truly happy if you don’t live in the “now”.
My Personal Experience on Meditation.
I started meditation out of curiosity. I searched about types, watched some videos and decided to try.
Sometimes it was easy, sometimes I couldn’t even meditate for a minute.
The first results came after one month of practice. My schedule was :every day. In my opinion it is the best way, not only to make it a habit but to see and feel the results.
So I was meditating for at least 5 minutes. I went from 5 minutes to 10 and that’s all.
After one month I was able to see all the above benefits and even more. There are plenty more benefits but I point out those I realized!
I realized that it had an impact not only in my life but also in the people around me. Just because I was meditating situations around was changing!
One of the most powerful things I found with meditation is the ability or power (whatever you wanna call it) of let go.
Thus, not to mention that I strongly, hands down, recommend practicing meditation. Just try it…
The quieter you become, the more you can hear!
Baba Ram Dass
Conclusion.
What to from this post?
Meditation is simple. It can by practiced by anyone and worth the time.
The benefits are many. I mentioned above 7 of them :
- Reduce stress and Helps to control anxiety
- Improves Health. Mental, Physical and Emotional.
- Helps with Sleep issues. Improves Sleep.
- Improves Focus and memory.
- Keystone Habit and Can Help Fight Addiction.
- Deep self-understanding and Self Awareness.
- Be more present.
Those 7 I first recognized and realized after practicing meditation.
It doesn’t have to do with any religion or something else. It is just a great thing to do about you and people around you!
Keep in mind, It takes time to observe and feel the benefits so be patient. There are many types of it. Focus on 1-2 at the beginning, it isn’t a challenge.
Meditation is all about having fun the moment you practice it. Nothing to force, nothing to achieve. It is already there…