Author: Eugene K. Choi / Source: Lifehack
I coach professionals who feel stuck in their lives develop a customized plan to serve a need that exists in the world by unleashing their passions and talents. Read full profile
Imagine yourself running at top speed. After a few minutes pass, you feel yourself slowly getting out of breath.
You feel the aches in your muscles as your body slows down but you keep pushing yourself to keep going. Eventually, you collapse because you’ve exhausted all energy and you can no longer function.For many people, this is what we do to our minds when we are constantly under stress. All the thoughts dictated by our endless to-do lists accompanied by our worries and fears are burning out our brains.
What if I told you there was a simple process backed by science that you can do in as little as 20 minutes a day that will lower your stress levels, improve your decision making skills and relieve anxiety?
This process is meditation. It has now become widely popular with over 18 million people practicing it in the U.S. alone[1] and it now also has grown into a billion dollar business.[2] Leading companies such as Google, Goldman Sachs and Salesforce use meditation practices in the workplace and 22% of employers have offered mindfulness training to staff back in 2016.
We’ve created this article about meditation for beginners so you can learn about what it is, and how you can use it right now to start experiencing the many benefits it provides.
What meditation means to your body and mind
The actual practice of meditation can be done in many different ways but the one type that has shown promising results is known as mindfulness meditation.
The purpose of the practice is to train your mind to be firmly focused on the present moment. It involves the act of focusing your attention on something such as your breathing, as well as taking moments to simply observe and be aware of things around and within you.
Meditation recharges your brain
Meditation is what helps you to be in a restful and recuperative state where you are not controlled by your thoughts and feelings. As a result your mind will become better able to manage them in a way where you just observe them so you can make better decisions.
“Meditation isn’t about becoming a different person, a new person, or even a better person. It’s about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. You’re not trying to turn off your thoughts or feelings. You’re learning to observe them without judgment. And eventually, you may start to better understand them as well.”[3]
Meditation keeps your brain healthy
Just like how exercises will make your body physically stronger, this mental exercise will make your brain stronger. It activates the parts of your brain that promote things like intelligence, empathy, and happiness just to list a few.
It’s a known fact that our brain start slowly shrinking starting around the age of 30[4] but keeping your brain in shape with meditation can prevent the shrinking altogether.
Meditation hears the cries of your body
When we’re too busy, we may not notice the subtle symptoms of our body. For example, when we are stressed, there are early symptoms such as tightness, irritation and heaviness in the body. When we ignore these symptoms, it can lead to much more amplified symptoms such as high blood pressure, fatigue and anxiety.
Meditation helps you become more aware with what your body has been trying to communicate with you about your health and well-being in order address certain issues before it’s too late.[5]
Why it’s worth it to start meditation
Over 50 years of scientific research has shown compelling evidence of the many different types of benefits meditation can have on both your brain and your body.
One of the most compelling piece of evidence for meditation that I have found was that it literally changes your brain. Brain scans have shown that the neuron rich part of the brain known as grey matter was noticeably increased in multiple areas of the brain involved with important functions such as decision making, emotional regulation and memory.[6]
To learn more about some of the amazing benefits, you can read my other article: 15 Ways Meditation Boosts Your Brain Power and Your Mood
A simple way to meditate (even for absolute beginners)
If you’ve never meditated before, spending as little as 2 minutes a day may be a great start to develop a meditation habit and experience the results.[7]
One thing to keep in mind is that meditation isn’t about trying to stop your thoughts. It’s more about being aware of them and then simply allowing them to come and go.
All you need is a comfortable space where you are likely not to be disturbed and do the following:
- Sit with your back straight at a comfortable level, either on a chair or on the floor (Whichever is more comfortable).
- Start by leaving your eyes open with a relaxed soft focus.
- Take one deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- While breathing out, gently close your eyes and resume normal breathing
- Take a moment…
The post Meditation for Beginners: How to Meditate Deeply and Quickly appeared first on FeedBox.