What Meditation Can Do For You
When first starting a meditation practice it can be intimidating to think about staying in stillness for an extended amount of time. You may notice the mind wander in all directions—from thinking about your day, over-analyzing prior conversations, planning your night ahead, and so on. Oh, and we can’t forget about any sensations we might feel in the body that can be distracting to us.
How To Stay Consistent
First—find your WHY. This can be referred to as your intention. Think about why you are wanting to meditate. Maybe it's for stress reduction, to reduce anxiety, or maybe to just slow down.
Next, think about WHAT can a calmer mind DO for you? Maybe it will bring you more joy or help you be more present in conversations. Connecting the why to the what can give you a clear understanding of your personal connection with meditation and keep you dedicated to your practice.
Now that’s only the first step in your journey. From there, educate yourself.
Connect with a mentor
Find a meditation teacher
Read books to learn about the various techniques (yes, there are may ways!)
Once you can understand the benefits, techniques and have someone help to guide you, you are more likely to progress along the way.
Benefits Of Consistency
Each time you show up to your practice your brain is creating new neural pathways, which in turn create new habits and shift your thought patterns as well. The benefits are truly endless on the work that’s involved in the brain.
Oh and I’ll share a little secret... to meditate we don’t need to silence the mind! We learn how to bring our attention back to our breath and back to our practice. Instead of silencing the mind, we are training the brain to slow down and also learning to be kind to ourselves.
From a consistent practice, you will start to see and feel the benefits of meditating in your daily life. There may be a moment in your day where you stop and notice “wow, I didn’t let this incident ruin my whole day". You might realize you were able to respond and confidently share how you felt and were able to still be present the rest of my day.
Another example is noticing your mind not wandering while being engaged in conversations with others while at work or with loved ones. Meditation raises the level of gamma waves increasing your ability to focus. You take notice and realize you’re making eye contact, giving full attention and truly listening and being involved in conversations.
This last example is my most favorite! You will overall feel happier. Meditation reduces activation in the amygdala and increases activation in the prefrontal cortex. Little things in your day will begin to bring you joy. You will see life from a new perspective, feel more GRATITUDE for what you have in your life and cherish small moments.
The Impact Of Meditation
Maybe you have come this far in your practice and you’re attending meditation sessions regularly. You might even be inviting your family and friends to join you. After all, the more people that meditate in the world, the more kind and mindful we are in our words and every day actions.
We ALL make an impact on the environment we are currently in, so why not start your practice today? Join me in the studio for a sound meditation.