I’ve been meditating regularly for about 8 years now. It’s one of my absolute favorite things to do. I truly appreciate the peace that comes from taking a few moments of silence for myself, to relax and prepare for the start of each day. Even more than that, I am thrilled about the positive changes meditation has created in my life. Very recently I took a look back at the person I was years ago compared to who I am today. There are some obvious differences that can only be attributed to my meditation practice. Some of the benefits I’ve experienced are: clearer thinking, increased intuition, calm demeanor, improved patience, present moment awareness, reduced stress and an overall ease of life. In my reflection it became apparent that my practice has enabled me to become more fully myself. It’s enabled me to become more of who I really am. These are just a few of the benefits I’ve experienced; I could go on and on about how I’ve changed. However, the most impressive thing about it all is that the benefits of meditation have influenced each and every aspect of my life. It is for this reason that I felt compelled to share my love of mediation with you.
So, what is meditation? To put it simply, meditation is being fully immersed in the present moment and being fully accepting of whatever experience that moment contains. It is putting oneself into a state of calm acceptance and just going with the flow. It can take years of practice to completely release our seemingly inherent tendencies to resist, judge or deny the things that show up in our day-to-day present experience. Luckily, as little as 10 minutes a day of mindfulness can work wonders for releasing your worries and moving your life forward. The act of allowing your body and mind to be still and meet in the moment of now is a refreshing gift of kindness and generosity that we all owe to ourselves.
Meditation does not have to be a ritualistic, scheduled process of chanting and mantras and mudras. It can be all of those things, but none of them are required for a moment of calm to be considered a meditation. A meditation could be reading a book, taking a walk, listening to music or any activity that allows you to clear your mind of the incessant stream of thought that seems to run our lives. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. The point is to simply take a few minutes to give your conscious mind a much needed break. When you allow yourself to rest in the space of mindful stillness, you will begin to see yourself and your life from a fresh, new perspective.
I encourage you to make some time today to pause, take a deep breath, quiet your mind and just be still. If you are able to connect with even a brief space of present moment awareness, you will be so grateful you took the time to experience it.
As always this is my version of reality based on the experiences I’ve had to this point. Please share your experiences in the comments below. Namaste!
