Why Meditate

1. Why Meditate It seems as if there is a new or exciting lifestyle change to try every other day. It can feel easy to become wrapped up in following the crowd, making sure that you do not miss out on anything that could help you live a better life or experience a higher degree of health and wellness. One practice that you may have heard about recently, read about in magazines or even heard mentioned on podcasts or the radio is meditation. However, mindfulness meditation is more than just a buzzword or an exciting new practice to try. Although it is frequently touted on apps, during classes and in books as something amazingly beneficial, it is actually something that has been used successfully for millennia. Historically, individuals have always looked for ways to improve their thought life or focus their attention on what is most important to them. Today, you can engage in a mindfulness meditation practice that can help you feel calmer and more aware of what is going on around you. In fact, you may even find that you have a better level of concentration and improved judgment after cementing this practice in your daily life. What Is Meditation? Meditation may take many different forms, but it generally comes down to a focused attention on one particular thought or sensation. Mindfulness meditation is an option for training the body and mind to slow down, concentrating your thoughts on what you want them to and experiencing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. While there are certainly recommended ways to meditate, you should know that this is a very personal practice that you may experience quite differently from anyone else. A key part of meditation is focusing your mind on the present rather than letting it wander to the past or future. Mindfulness is being fully engaged in the present moment and letting go of all thoughts and feelings about a different moment. Meditation is truly a skill. Rather than seeing meditation as a science, it may be best to consider it as an art form that you will become better at over time. The frequency with which you practice it and the length of your sessions should be based on your needs. Meditation should be seen as a helpful practice rather than as something you have to perfect immediately. In fact, your practice should and most likely will change over time.

2. What Are the Benefits of Meditation? As you let go of your preconceived ideas about meditation, you will open your mind to seeing how this practice can truly benefit you. The benefits of meditation are incredibly well- documented with plenty of research having been published on the subject in recent years. One of the most oft-noted benefits is feeling calmer. The stress-reduction benefits of meditation are clearly well-documented. It is the perfect practice for when you are feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed or burned out. By being present in the moment, you can leave all of the burdens of the past and all of the concerns over the future behind. You will also find that you will gain a new perspective on your most stressful situations the longer you meditate. You will see that stressful situations do not define you. Rather they are something you experience. As you meditate, neural pathways in your brain tend to loosen. After regular meditation, the same stressor that used to cause you so much anxiety may no longer trigger the unwelcome reaction you once had. In addition, feeling more aware and feeling more alive is common after mindfulness meditation. Your energy level may pop back up, and you may even experience improved memory. Research has shown that those who meditate have better memory recall and improved creativity than they did prior to their practice. This can be great for your work as well as your home life. Surprisingly, meditation has also been linked to higher levels of gray matter in the brain. The gray matter in the frontal lobes of your brain is tied to your emotions. Improved emotional stability is something from which nearly anyone can benefit. In addition, improved gray matter can also decrease brain aging, helping you maintain high levels of cognitive functioning even as you grow older. However, the benefits of meditation extend far beyond the mental and emotional spheres. Some research has shown that meditation can decrease chronic pain while also fighting certain addictions. Improvements in certain chronic diseases, including cancer, asthma, heart disease and irritable bowel syndrome, have also been noted in smaller research studies. After you are done meditating, you may be surprised at just how good you feel. You will feel centered and a part of the present moment. You will most likely feel more peace and contentment and may be ready to move on after a disappointment. After practicing meditation for several weeks or months, these feelings of peace may come with you more frequently into every part of your day. You will probably notice yourself changing as you become more relaxed and more accepting of yourself and those around you.

3. Meditation Exercises That Help Mindfulness meditation is a simple practice to start even though you may feel sorely lacking in your meditation skills as you begin. One of the easiest exercises to get you started is focusing on your five senses. To begin, name five things you can see. They do not have to be anything special but can be things right in front of you. Next, close your eyes, and name five things you can hear. If you are already in a quiet space, this may be nothing more than the whir of the air conditioner or your own breath. Then, name five things you can feel. Your clothes, your chair or a yoga mat may all be readily accessible. Note how each one feels between your fingertips. Now, name five things you can smell. Finally, name five things you can taste. These final two will require more thought and attention to the smallest details around you, but this will help you stay focused. Another option for mindfulness meditation is to focus on your breathing. Count your breaths, focusing on belly breathing rather than on shallow breathing. Let your thoughts go, bringing them back to the present when they wander. As you do these or other mindfulness exercises, keep yourself from judging how you feel or the thoughts running through your mind. After completing the meditation exercise, check in with yourself to see how you feel. You may feel more aware of your surroundings. You may even feel calmer or more alive despite your surroundings. Mindfulness meditation is an exciting practice that anyone can start and enjoy. You can focus your attention on whatever is in front of you at any given moment. You can always take the time to notice what your five senses are telling you. By building a strong, daily meditation practice, you will learn to turn your thoughts to the present anytime you choose. As you more fully embody the present, you can leave the regrets of the past and the worries of the future exactly where they are and can begin enjoying more peace, awareness and focus throughout your life. For more info, Log on to https://psychotherapypartnersmn.com/why-meditate/ Contact Us: 3507 Lyndale Ave S. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408, USA Email: info@ptpmn.org Phone No.: 6128866112