What Is Meditation?

Think of meditation as brain training. Being able to stay focused throughout the day in a world of distractions is invaluable. Meditation can reduce cortisol, which is your bodies main stress hormone. There are many different forms of mediation, but the most common type is mindfulness. Simply sit quietly where you won’t be disturbed, and observe your thoughts. Do not judge them, just notice them. Being aware of your thought can help you change them, and even still the mind. The more relaxed we are, the more energy we will have for healing the body.

Benefits Of Meditation

1. Reduces cortisol

The most obvious benefit of meditation is stress reduction. The primary hormone responsible for stress is cortisol. We need some cortisol to function, but too much can destroy our system, so it’s really about having a balance.

2. Focus and memory

Meditation can definitely improve our focus and memory. Single pointed focus is uncommon these days because we have so many distractions at out finger tips. Also, focus is needed to get in the flow state, or the state that makes us most effective. The more relaxed we are, the better we can remember things. Too much stress damages the hippocampus, or the memory center of our brain.

3. Stoic nature

Meditation helps us be unfazed in the eye of the tornado. Being calm in chaos, or equanimity. This is because our nervous system gets used to having our mind still, and this can carry over to everyday life. Meditation is a practice, and will notice the benefits in mysterious ways outside of it.

4. Cultivate the inner landscape

Meditation can help us get to know ourselves. Getting to a place of stillness will really help us get to know what we value, our goals, and the direction we want to go. Many of us are carrying around limiting beliefs about ourself and our reality. Many of them are not even from us, but from other people. This practice will help you get a point on what you actually believe to drive your life forward.

5. Compassion

Our relationships can be deepened through the practice of meditation. We will begin to understand more why people do what they do. Moat likely, it’s not because they’re a horrible person, but are trying to meet an unmet need, but going about it in an unintelligent manner. We are doing the best we can with what we know. When we know better, we do better.

How To Start Meditating

The most basic form of meditation is mindfulness meditation. This is really about observing your thoughts, emotions, and inner landscape without judgement. A lot of people don’t realize what’s going on in their head until they start meditating. Do you best  to still your thoughts, it does not have to be perfect. Just because your mind is racing, doesn’t mean that it’s not working, it’s a practice. There are things you can do prior to meditation as well to help with this. Anything that’s going to get you in your body, such as movement, healthy nutrition, or mobility work. This can help remove some of the stress prior to meditation.

Moving Meditation

This can be very beneficial for people who just don’t want to sit still. You will still get a lot of the benefits here as you do in regular meditation. There is a difference between meditation and mindfulness. Meditation is the formal practice, while mindfulness os want you do throughout the day. Sort of like as exercise is to movement. Some movement meditations can be qigong, yoga, walking, or other mindfulness practices you can think of.