When I suggest meditation to my clients as a tool for clearing the mind, calming the emotions and bring the body into a centered state, or, as a valuable addition to their spiritual practice, I usually get one of five responses – “I tried it a few times. It was too hard.” “I couldn’t shut off my monkey mind.” ” I could never sit still for that long.” And my personal favorite (because this used to be me) “I feel like I’m wasting my time.”
In part, I don’t disagree. It is hard! I’ve yet to met a person who didn’t find it frustrating in the beginning, which makes sense given that we’ve trained our brains to function in multi-task mode and our bodies to operate in a state of hustle. Meditation teaches us to do the exact opposite and embrace stillness. As scary as that prospect may sound to some of you now, it is well worth the effort! I’d like to share the benefits of meditation in hopes that you’ll find reason to GIVE IT A TRY – either again or for the first time!
Stress Reduction
Meditation is a proven method for reducing stress. Beyond giving your physical and mental bodies “down time” to rest and recharge, it has a direct effect on your nervous system by reducing your body’s production of stress related chemicals like cortisol, and increasing the production of mood enhancing chemicals like serotonin.
Improved Health
Meditation can strengthen your immune system by reducing your blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels. It’s often of particular interest to people who are diagnosed with a chronic or potentially life threatening illness such as cancer as a means to restore emotional balance and enhance the healing and recovery processes. Meditation is definitely not a substitute for proper medical care, however, it can be a powerful compliment. Regardless of the state of your health at this time, couldn’t we all use a stronger immune system?
Better Sleep
Sleep is a basic human function, and something our bodies need consistently to function well. Studies have found that when we enter sleep with racing minds and stress laden bodies, sleep is not as restorative as it should be. Meditation can dramatically improve the quality of your sleep and it is one of the most powerful natural treatments for insomnia as it helps to calm the mind and body.
Slowed Aging
Studies into the effects of meditation have shown that a regular practice of meditation can slow the aging process. The biological age of long term meditators is generally less than those of people who have never meditated. It is believed that meditation helps reduce your production of free radicals. These are the organic molecules in your body responsible for aging, tissue damage, and potentially some disease.
Emotional Stability
Meditation is a commonly prescribed method for people suffering from anxiety and or depression. It is also a tool taught to people who struggle to control their anger. However, emotional balance is something everyone needs to maintain to achieve a good quality of life. Its beneficial to meditate in the morning to get centered in preparation for the day. You can also use meditation throughout the day and in the evening as a means of calming the nervous system and giving your emotional body an opportunity to rest and recover from the chaos of daily life.
Spiritual Connection
For many meditation is a part of a spiritual practice. It helps you to unplug from the world and connect to the spirit within. Some see it as a form of prayer where they enjoy a conscious communion with God. I learned to meditate, over a six month period, to the Lord’s Prayer with Wayne Dyer in his guided meditation “Getting in the Gap.” Fortunately, if you google guided meditation you will find many different styles meditation. What’s important is that you adopt one that resonates with You.
More Joy!
People who meditate regularly are less stressed, healthier, sleep better, and have a more positive outlook on life than the average person. They also have a greater capacity to experience joy!
Ready to Get Started?
I hope the benefits I’ve shown you have inspired you to give meditation a real try! It’s not an easy practice to develop. You can expect some frustration. I’ve yet to met a person who doesn’t t find it frustrating in the very beginning. It’s only natural given that we’ve trained our brains to function in multi-task mode and our bodies to operate in a state of hustle. Meditation requires you to do the exact opposite. Sloooow down. Embrace a peaceful, still state. You have to build the capacity for calm within yourself. It will come eventually come naturally to you, but please know that this is a gradual process.This is not something we can achieve! You must allow it. (that’s where the capacity comes in) The only “training” involved is the discipline of doing it every day.
There are many types of guided meditations available online. I encourage you to explore traditional meditation as well as non-directive meditation techniques.
If you do not find one that resonates with you, please email me at anne@anneskosem.com. I’m happy to help.