Meditation Benefits

Meditation benefits are numerous and meditation is really an amazing tool to help you to be the healthiest version of yourself. One of the biggest meditation benefits is that it is completely free and every single one of us has access to it at any moment!

What is Meditation?

Meditation means to quiet your mind during your waking time. It is the practice of focusing your mind on one thing. It means being attentive to the present moment, to the task at hand, without being distracted by so many other thoughts.

Why Do I Need to Meditate?
Meditation Benefits

In our modern, busy world so many of us walk through our days with a million thoughts going on at once. Calming that down and practicing the art of having a quiet still mind will help you in everything else you do in your life.

Meditation benefits include;

• more balanced emotions
• look and feel younger
• increased vitality
• greater productivity
• increased clarity and focus
• enhanced creativity
• quick clear decision making
• improved sleep (less sleep needed)
• improved memory
• increased intuition
• increased ability to listen to your body's many messages
• decreased stress
• decreased anxiety, restlessness, irritability
• speeds healing and recovery
• develops willpower and discipline
• increased sense of love and connectedness

We are born as natural meditators, babies and children are always 'in the moment'. Actually all animals, except most of us humans, maintain this inborn ability throughout their lives. But as we grow many of us forget this innate skill and need guidance in remembering and learning meditation again. Take the time to re-introduce meditation into your life and experience for yourself the many benefits of meditation.

How Do I Meditate?

There are many meditation techniques but they all have one thing in common. That is that they all help to quiet the mind.

Do you feel that you need guidance in 'meditation for beginners' because you have never meditated before? Well, if you can breathe you can meditate. Remember that meditation is natural, it is normal to have stillness in our days. And with daily practice it will become second nature.

The technique that I like to use is starts with observing my breath. You always have your breath with you which means you can use this technique anywhere, anytime.

Simply sit quietly (preferably with your spine, neck and head straight), and observe your breath as you inhale and exhale. As you attempt this you may find that not even a moment can go by without your monkey mind wondering away. This is all okay and it is all good. Gently, and with a smile, bring your mind back to your breath. Every time your mind wanders away or becomes distracted, smile and remember your breath.

Like anything, the more you practice the easier this will become. Just like someone who regularly exercises; it may have been hard at first but eventually they get to a point where they miss it if a day goes by without it. Meditation is exercise for your brain. Make it a discipline.

The best time to meditate is first thing in the morning and/or last thing before sleep. These are precious times of your day; start and finish your day in an aura of peace and stillness and watch how that will carry over to your entire life.

How Do I Start?

Start with observing your breath as mentioned above. As you begin with this you may want to consider giving yourself the gift of a meditation retreat.

More than a decade ago, feeling like I had no meditation experience whatsoever, I attended a 10 day silent meditation retreat. By far, this was one of the best things I have done in my life.

Being at a retreat will allow you to completely focus on remembering how to be quiet. A retreat allows you to be removed from your daily distractions and allows you to get some solid practice. After the retreat you will have some great tips and experience to help you to be still every day and gain the meditation benefits mentioned above as well as so many more.

Is Meditation for Everyone?

Not every technique will resonate with everyone but it is important for everyone to find a way to be still so that they can have access to those many meditation benefits.

Find the way that works for you to add stillness to your days. Find a way to give your mind time, every day, to be still and focused on just one thing with no distractions.

Some people find their stillness through meditating with breath, others use mantras, song, prayers or chanting. Others may find that stillness through yoga, running or another form of movement. And still others may use their favourite hobby or a visualization technique.

The truth is, there are many ways to practice stillness and to gain those many meditation benefits. Vipassana Meditation is a wonderful tool that works for me. I strongly encourage you to give this a try or to find the method that works the best for you. You are worth it and you deserve to experience your birthright of being a happy healthy person.

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