Are you having trouble focusing? Do you lie in bed at night, thoughts running through your head at a seemingly unstoppable pace? Do you wish there was something you could do to quiet your mind, bring you peace, and help you feel more connected to the world around you?
You should consider meditation!
Meditation has been around for centuries, and is incorporated into almost every major religion as a calming, connecting, spiritual practice. Many people associate meditation with typically Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, or with Christian monks sitting quietly for hours in monastery cells.
While meditation is certainly a part of those religions, you don’ t need to be religious to practice it. Meditation, on its own, is the act of calming your body and leading your mind to a state of thoughtless awareness. The thoughts and stressors that are running rampant through your brain are neutralized, and yet you’ re still alert and aware of the world around you.
A recent study in the United States concluded that daily meditation reduced stress, reduced pain, reduced healthcare costs, increased energy, and improved quality of life.
There are so many things in life that are out of our control. Because, most likely, you will never be able to completely rid yourself of external stress, you would benefit from learning to internally calm and control your reactions to stress.
Usually, we try to solve the problem of a“ mind gone wild” by distracting ourselves. We turn on the TV, we grab dinner with friends, or we listen to music. We even check our emails and our text messages.
We’ re generally desperate not to be left alone with our own minds because we often have no idea what to do with them! Luckily, there are several types of mediation that can help you learn to quiet, comfort, control, and love your own mind.
We are going to focus on Mindful Meditation, which is a western, research-based form of meditation derived from a centuries-old Buddhist meditative practice. It is not religious, and aimed specifically at helping you develop the skills of focusing and calming your mind without losing alertness or awareness.
Ideally, mindfulness will help you become more aware of the world around you, and help you enjoy its pleasures. It can help you become more present in your everyday life, and less affected by stress and negativity.