What are the benefits of meditation?
Here are my top ten reasons to meditate.
This morning I was feeling unsettled. Having previously worked for a charity supporting people in Ukraine, the Russia-Ukraine war has been weighing on my mind. Also, today was the first day back to school for my children after half-term, so my morning felt a little rushed and stressful.
After dropping the kids off, I had a long to-do list of work to get on with, but instead I sat in meditation for 15 minutes. It transformed my outlook, my mood and my day.
Sitting for 15 minutes in meditation is not easy. It has taken me years of practice to get here and to feel the benefits. But I cannot emphasise enough the word PRACTICE. It may feel hard at first, sitting for 5 minutes may feel enough. But I promise that with practice it gets easier and you reap the benefits profoundly.
So what are these benefits? Here are my top ten reasons to meditate.
Meditation helps you to feel less stressed, anxious and worried. For example, something that feels like a big deal or has been worrying you, becomes a little less significant, less of a big deal, less of a worry. It is like you have taken a step back and can see the bigger picture. It reminds me of a rabbinical quote that says; Have two notes in each pocket. One note says ‘the world was created just for me’ and the other says ‘I’m but a speck of dust in this vast universe’. For me meditation is that second note.
Meditation brings you into the present moment. In the present moment there is no shame, regret, worry, fear or anxiety. These emotions are connected to thoughts about the past and the future, so if we sit in a safe space to meditate, we can come into the present moment, where we are perfectly safe and free from shame, regret, worry, fear and anxiety.
Meditation helps you to feel calm, grounded and at ease. Meditation is not about trying not to think. It is about noticing the thoughts, allowing them and then with awareness letting them go. With practice we are then able to notice the space between the thoughts and then come to a place where the mind feels calm and still - it is a wonderful place to be.
Meditation helps you to feel a little less annoyed with your family, friends and others. As I sit to meditate I set the intention that I do this for myself and for those I come into contact with. I am a nicer person when I have meditated. This is for two reasons. Firstly, as outlined above meditation changes our perspective so things don’t feel like such a big deal. Secondly, we are more able to connect to our thoughts and our emotions, enabling us to acknowledge them in the moment and let them go, rather than carrying them around with us. We realise they are just thoughts and do not get so caught-up in them.
Meditation helps you to be kinder. When we mindfully meditate we become aware of our thoughts, feelings and what is around us. We then acknowledge these things, accept and appreciate what we have. This sense of appreciation leads us to be kinder to those around us and to the planet. If you are grateful for someone or something you are more inclined to want to show them your appreciation. Plus you cannot be appreciative and annoyed with someone at the same time.
Meditation helps you make decisions. When I used to work for the aforementioned charity, my manager often said ‘what does your gut instinct tell you?.’ And most of the time I had no idea. We are often in our heads, deliberating and making lists of pros and cons, but when we get quiet and still, we can connect to our true gut instinct and know how to proceed. Through meditation you begin to better know and understand yourself. To sit with your feelings and thoughts. To see clearly through the noise in your head and know exactly what to do.
Meditation can take you on a Spiritual path, if that is what you are seeking. Through meditation you may feel connected to something bigger. You may experience, as I have, a sense of connecting to a higher power or a sense of something inside yourself which connects you to every other human-being. If you are seeking more meaning and more connection perhaps meditation can help.
Meditation helps you to sleep better. As a yoga and meditation teacher you may not be surprised to hear that I have never had a problem getting a good, full night’s sleep. If I wake-up in the night I have the tools I need to get back to sleep, from becoming aware of thoughts, counting the breath or connecting to the five senses. Mindfulness techniques always help.
We are taking care of ourselves. We hear a lot about self-care in the wellness industry, which could include anything from soaking in a bubble bath to going for a run. Taking care of our physical bodies is crucial and meditation is the ultimate way we can look after our mental wellbeing.
The science shows that you are rewiring the brain for the better. There is an ever increasing body of research into the benefits of meditation which is showing that meditating changes the way we think. Previously, neuroscience believed that by our twenties we were fixed in our ways and shaped to be who we are. Now we understand that ‘neurons that fire together, wire together’ so the more we practice gratitude, loving-kindness and positivity the more that becomes an integrated and integral part of who we are. How liberating is that.
So there you have it - meditating can change your day, it can help you to move through the world from a calmer, kinder place. It can change your perspective, deepen your relationships and bring more meaning to your life. If you want to experience these benefits ask yourself this… are you too busy to meditate? Because as the old zen saying goes, ‘You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you’re too busy then you should sit for an hour’.