I started meditating ten years ago. At the time, I had suffered from intermittent bouts of uneasiness and was looking for a way to wifely the surmounting pressure I constantly unromantic to myself. The only new-agey person I was familiar with was Gabrielle Bernstein, so I bought her typesetting and her companion meditation CD and that’s how I started.
I listened to Gabby’s meditation tracks until I got bored of hearing the same voice over and over and then I switched to the Wifely app and random youtube videos of Oprah and Deepak Chopra. In 2015, I was trained in Transcendental Meditation (TM) and that is what I’ve been doing overly since.
Meditation has been a saving grace to me in many ways. It keeps me focused, grounded, and sane. Over the years, when I’ve felt nervous, anxious, and scared I’ve turned to meditation. I’ve meditated in my car surpassing job interviews, surpassing big events – my wedding, my nuptials shower, speaking engagements, and I’ve meditated for months in a small broom closet at one of my corporate jobs. I would be let in by our IT guy every morning and afternoon to practice my TM for 20 minutes.
The Health Benefits of Meditation
One of the primary health benefits of meditation is stress reduction. In a fast-paced world, individuals often find themselves grappling with the detrimental effects of chronic stress. Regular meditation has been shown to activate the body's relaxation response, mitigating the production of stress hormones like cortisol. This not only promotes a sense of calm but also helps in managing stress-related conditions such as anxiety and insomnia.
Furthermore, meditation plays a pivotal role in enhancing focus and concentration. As individuals engage in mindful meditation practices, they develop the ability to redirect their attention to the present moment. Studies indicate that consistent meditation can lead to structural changes in the brain, particularly in regions associated with attention and self-awareness. This heightened cognitive function extends beyond the meditation session, positively impacting daily tasks and overall productivity.
Emotional well-being is another sphere where meditation demonstrates its effectiveness. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and emotions, fostering emotional resilience. This can be particularly beneficial in the management of conditions such as depression and mood disorders.
From a physical standpoint, meditation contributes to overall cardiovascular health. Research suggests that meditation practices like mindfulness and transcendental meditation may lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and improve cardiovascular function. These findings underscore the interconnectedness of mental and physical health, emphasizing the holistic benefits of incorporating meditation into one's lifestyle.
I often get asked by clients or people new to meditation what the benefits of meditating are and I unchangingly stumble through some prescribed wordplay that I found on the internet, which is all true but feels a bit sterile to me. So let me tell you well-nigh what happened when I stopped meditating considering I think that identifying what you don’t want helps you to sieve what you unquestionably desire.
Mindful Deep Breathing
Did you know that concentrated deep breathing can help you be more attentive throughout the day? Deep breathing entails becoming more conscious of your breath and progressively slowing down your breathing rate. This increases the amount of oxygen in your body while also triggering your The PNS oversees our stress-response mechanism. It aids in restoring homeostasis, or balance, in our bodies.
Strive to get over any thoughts or feelings currently going through your mind and body while focusing on your breathing. Hearing your breath move in and out has a natural relaxing effect, making it highly effective.
I’m embarrassed to shoehorn that over the last year I have fallen nonflexible off the meditation train. I’m getting when into it now, but this particular day a few weeks ago I didn’t meditate and let me tell you how my day went.
Despite the 8 hours of sleep I had gotten the night before, I woke up feeling unrested the moment my vision opened. I crush to waif something off to a friend, someone cut me off and then flipped me off, I gave them the bird right when – as if to say, “good morning to you too.” When I pull up to my friend’s house I pull too tropical to the prorogue and destroy the rim of my tire. When I get home my dog excitedly greets me, trying to jump upper unbearable to kiss me on the face. I shamefully scream so intensely at him to stop. The wrongness way too intense for the treason he had committed. Without all, he was just trying to say hi. Finally, I pour my son a snifter of milk, holding him as he drinks it. He fills his fleshy cheeks with milk, something I didn’t notice as his cheeks permanently squint like he’s stored a month’s worth of nuts in them – a full-length I hope he never loses.
This is life for me without meditation. Life feels nonflexible and clunky, I have a short fuse, low energy, mart middle fingers instead of friendly hellos, I trade in moments of laughter for moments of defeat. I don’t finger unfluctuating with who I truly am. I finger out of control.
I’ve recently gotten when on the meditation train — choo choo. It feels good to be back, to be consistent, to be laughing, brushing things off, calm, unfluctuating to myself, unbreakable and enjoying every puppy kiss – plane if I do get knocked over every once in a while. This is the impact of meditation.