But, do you Meditate?
Meditation has become a buzz word and for very good reasons! If it’s something you have been avoiding or is forever on your to-do list (that you never actually get to), then this is your sign, some inspo to dive in and get started, it’s not as daunting as you may think.
The History
I did a little digging into the background of meditation, I’m a bit of a history buff, it’s rather complex and its origins are unknown or speculated. If you want to learn more, I highly recommend reading this article.
The Beautiful Benefits
Where to start? There are SO many benefits that arise from implementing a regular meditation practice in one’s life. The wonderful thing is how unique everyone’s experience is and how it will enrich their lives in one way or another.
I personally find meditation helps ground me, relieves stress, I am more grateful, I have greater patience (aka less likely to crack it at my partner for leaving a towel on the bed haha), and find that I am more mindful which leads to greater concentration and productivity. Taking the time out every day to reap those results are well worth it in my book.
But what does the science say?
A study conducted by the international journal of neuroscience compared one’s biological age and chronological age with the impact of meditation. It found that a 30 year old’s brain had a biological age of 36 without a meditation practice, but with a practice had an age of 23. That is a significant difference!
Meditation brings your body back to a parasympathetic (rest & digest) state, the place you want to be, as opposed to a sympathetic environment (fight or flight). A parasympathetic state reduces high levels of cortisol and promotes an anti-inflammatory environment, which allows the body to naturally work its magic without added stress and adrenaline taking the forefront & focus!
Other studies have found that meditation can control anxiety, enhance self-awareness, may reduce memory loss, promote kindness, fight addictions, improve sleep, relieve pain and decrease blood pressure. Pretty amazing stuff.
It is well documented that meditation leads to a greater sense of inner peace & happiness. And as a result, you’re going experience positive changes in your life.
You Got This
You may already be thinking of the excuses “I don’t have time, I can’t sit still, I’m too busy, it’s not for me, it’s too hard”. Which I would respond with “then you need to make time, you’ll learn to sit still and become present, more the reason to do it if you’re busy, it’s not for you YET, why is it really too hard?”.
There’s no such thing as a bad meditator, meditation simply involves returning to breath and controlling thoughts, let your mind wander (as it naturally will) and when you realise simply come back to your breath, work through your thoughts. Take the pressure off, it’s not a competition with anyone else or yourself. It’s simply taking the time for you and your nervous system. Meditation should be measured in how much more adaptable you have become in your life. Those moments that you would have normally lost it and fallen to your emotions.. instead now you take a breath and are more mindful & patient. Powerful stuff. You can see how it would help productivity.
Working it into Your Life
We are all busy people and to be honest if you are an extremely busy person, then there’s more the reason to make time for meditation! It took me awhile to get into a consistent habit, but what I have realised is that consistency is key if you want to reap the true benefits. Meditation will refund you the time you spend meditating.
So, you have to figure out what works for you and for your schedule. This is honestly trial and error. For me personally, I have tried all times of the day, I’ve tried before bed which I found I was inconsistent with as I would often forget or be too tired. I’ve tried in the middle of the day around my lunch time, this can be a great refresher for the afternoon and sometimes I still do this if I am intuitively needing some time out. But my usual routine, is to wake up of a morning and do it then. It sets up my day nicely, I feel relaxed, awake and mindful. There’s no excuse not to do it, it also ensures I have a proper morning routine, which I’m also very passionate about. Try different times, it may be after you’ve dropped the kids at school or when you get home from work. See how your body responds and go from there.
Resources
Meditation can seem daunting & frustrating at first, but there are so many beautiful resources (many free) that you can lean on. Here’s some of my favourites:
*App – my favourite is “insight timer“, there is guided mediations or just a timer. I like to do 5 minutes every morning (most mornings anyway!). There are numerous apps out there, that can help you get started, find what works for you.
*Timer – simple set an alarm.
*Music – use some calming tunes, if that works for you. Nature sounds on Spotify, or search YouTube for “meditation music”.
*Podcasts & YouTube – there are heaps of resources find someone that resonates with you, I like the podcasts of Daily Meditation Podcast & Tara Brach. And Mooji’s youtube channel.
*Get in Nature – absorb your surroundings, listen to the bird chirping, the waves crashing, rain falling, you get the idea.
*Courses & Classes – there’s so much out there, find some that are local to you or even consider online classes. I’m in Melbourne, Australia and I love Kadampa, they do classes & workshops across the state & online too.
*Teachers – I love the work of Andrew Johnson, find who you resonate with.
Meditation is about being more present, patient, having a mindful mind and paying attention to our present moments free of reactive emotions. I urge you to give it ago.
Do you meditate? Do you have some other fantastic resources, I would love to hear them! Drop them in the comments below.
