Meditation allows the mind to go beyond the conditioned, “thinking mind” into a state of deep stillness and silence. In that state of deep stillness, the mind relaxes and is extremely alert and focused – a unique state of restful alertness. Practicing meditation creates a deep sense of peace and well-being, and it offers the opportunity for people to know their spiritual essence. Additionally, meditation allows a connection between the human spirit and the infinite spirit.

This leads us to what I consider the chief benefits of meditation. The state of deep meditation and relaxation allows us to go within ourselves where we can clearly and directly experience our divine presence. Guarding our thoughts allows us to reflect our higher selves, our spiritual truth that leads to feeling closer to God. Furthermore, meditation is a powerful tool in the journey toward true self-awareness, self-realization, enlightenment, or whatever else one decides to call the highest state of our individual existence.

So what is meditation? The word ‘meditation’ does not mean just sitting quietly or thinking about something. It is an experience that is much deeper and profound than that. It is the practice of concentration where one focuses on a particular object, thought, or feeling. Meditation is actually a state of awareness. It means focusing the mind in one direction rather than allowing it to wander at its will. In concentrated meditation, it is purposefully regulated and held within for a specified period of time.

Many people believe that meditation is doing nothing, but it is quite the opposite. It is important because it is a mental exercise that may improve physical and mental health and self-knowledge. It is a valuable tool that can nurture a higher state of awareness and fulfillment.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

By taking around thirty minutes to meditate, you can help reduce your stress levels. Chronic stress is not healthy for us. When we are stressed, we produce more of the hormone cortisol. By learning to lower your cortisol production, you can do wonders for your overall physical well-being as well as your mental health. In addition to reducing stress, the reduction of it and anxiety through meditation can also help you feel more at ease.

People with lower levels of stress tend to feel better about themselves. It is simpler to appreciate your life and what is in it if you aren’t stressing out about the many things in it.

Meditating every day can help you reduce stress and anxiety in your life. These are two things that many of us need to have less of. No one truly desires to be stressed or anxious, yet for many of us, this is all too true. If you would like to take control of these two things in your life, then try taking control of them.

Improved Focus and Concentration

But the irony is that what we tell ourselves we want — happiness, peace, fulfillment, focus, motivation — we can find in the quiet that we’re so afraid of. Through meditation, you can learn what it feels like when your brain is clear. You can then use this feeling to better understand the wants and desires, fears and angers that cross your mind, and evaluate them.

You can learn to focus on what will help you achieve success in your job, health in your life, and peace in your heart. Eventually, with enough practice, this type of control will become second nature.

Here’s another Ram Dass quote that illustrates this: “I know how to think, but I don’t know how to stop.” This is the curse of modern living. We are constantly thinking. We’re thinking about work, what we have to pick up from the store, what we want to cook for dinner, whether we’ll make our next deadline, how to fix our clogged sink. If we walk down the street, we have music blasting through our headphones because we can’t bear the quiet.

At home, we have the television constantly blaring because we can’t bear to sit in silence. We’re terrified of being alone with our thoughts, because then we might have to confront our real fears, our real wants, and our real desires. So we seek to distract ourselves in any way possible.

Enhanced Emotional Well-being

Emotional well-being can be cultivated quite easily through a dedicated meditation practice. Emotional problems like depression are no match for the complete happiness that meditation offers. Individuals with chronic pain are frequently isolated from family and friends due to their condition.

Improving your emotional health is incredible since a loving relationship can support your meditation practice, reducing pain and improving quality of life.

A study shows that loving relationships and pain management greatly benefit your health. This is direct evidence that emotional well-being and meditation are related. We all need people to lean on in life, especially when we are trying to maintain good health.

Chilling out is unique to meditation. Sure, lying sprawled on the summer grass is wonderful, but the ultimate relaxation is to exhale and find your true self while meditating. That is nirvana. People who experience nirvana know a nice secret. Regular meditation is associated with a reduced risk of clinical depression.

A study found that enlightenment provided a sense of increased well-being in depressed military veterans. Subjects who meditated also decreased their social anxiety and experienced less stress. So if you’ve been on the fence, I say just give it a try! You can find free videos on Youtube and many different options starting as brief as 5 minutes! What do you have to lose?

If you’d like to read my personal story, you can find it here!

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Xoxo,
Elizabeth Richey

About the Author: Elizabeth Richey, living and thriving in rural Arkansas, Aquarian and iced coffee enthusiast. When she’s not writing, gardening, playing with her chocolate lab Maple or sharing videos on YouTube (Elizabeth’s Many Adventures) you can find her enjoying time with her family or traveling somewhere new! Most of the time she’s dreaming of being kicked back in her hammock in her cottage garden listening to the birds sing.