“Meditation is to become Alive again, getting back to the serenity which is your original nature, absolute joy, a love without opposite values.”
“The journey from sound to silence, from movement to stillness, from a limited identity to unlimited space is Meditation” —— Sri Sri
What is Meditation?
In Earlier days, Meditation was limited to only some religious purposes & used by some specific people who were involved in them. But with time, awareness has increased & we are more conscious about our physical & mental health these days. Now, many people practice it independently of any religious or spiritual practices.
Meditation is to repose & relaxation of the mind. It is not about concentration, it is all about de-concentration. Our mind continues to work all day through, it literally does not get any rest. Many a times we give rest to our body but think of the fact does our mind gets rest? When we are sitting idle or even lying down, we keep on thinking this or that. Even in sleep, our sub-conscious and UN-conscious mind pops up & starts working. We call them dreams.
Meditation is not about focusing one’s thoughts on something specific, but instead of entering a state of mind that has no thoughts. If you set your focus or concentrate on something particular then again you are forcing your mind to do some more work. And that way, you are not able to provide complete relaxation to your mind.
Why should I meditate?
The overall benefits of meditation include a cool mind, improved concentration, enhanced clarity and communication, and relaxation of the mind and body. If you practice meditation regularly, it will have a profound impact on the core areas of our existence – physical, mental, and spiritual.
In today’s busy time, we think it s a big deal to take out time for stuffs like exercise, yoga, meditation & many more. But we find enough time for social networking, surfing internet, chatting online till late nights. Here you have to work out, you have to plan & prioritize your doings if you want a add clarity, focus, and happiness to your daily life. Don’t wait for a rainy day when you’re feeling blue to start!
Several researches emphasize the importance of a regular meditation habit. In fact, many consider meditation to be a necessity in today’s busy schedules. Nowadays, stress & anxiety has become a threat to human lives. It not only affecting the mind but also going deep in every cells of our body which in turn providing us several health issues. Mediation works here. It relaxes & calms your mind, and a healthy mind is the root of good health & happiness.
We have no control in the outer environment, but have always a command over your mind. Through meditation, you can handle your mind, your way of thinking, your attitude more effectively. And I believe this is most important among all other benefits of meditation.
Hence, spending 20 mins a day in meditation can provide you a better life, then why not go for a right investment of time? Always remember, Time is free but priceless. So, make proper use of your time.
Top Scientific benefits & reasons to start meditation
“The quality of our life depends on the quality of our mind,” writes Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
We have no control what happens on the outer environment but we can have command over the quality of our mind. Its really doesn’t matter what’s going on, if our mind is good, everything outside is OK.
As a person becomes regular with practicing meditation, there is a visible increase in joy, peace, and enthusiasm. There are so many researches that has been published with scientifically validated reasons with the fact to practice meditation regularly:
On the Physical level:
- Increases the immunity of your body
- Decreases Inflammation at the Cellular Level.
- Decreases tension-related pain (headaches, ulcers, insomnia, muscle, and joint problems)
- Lowers high blood pressure
- Improves breathing & heart rates
- Heals many health disorders
On the mind level:
- Meditation cleanses and nourishes you from within and calms you. It improves the brainwave pattern into an alpha state which is essential for healing.
- Increases Energy and self-esteem
- Lessens worry, anxiety, stress, fear & depression
- Better memory and retention
- Develops Intuition & creativity
- Increases focus, clarity and concentration
- Improves emotional stability, enthusiasm and decision making
- Increases happiness, joy in life and peace of mind
- Increases your ability to handle emotions
- Makes you more compassionate & feel less lonely
- Improves your ability to multitask
Obstacles to start meditation – Why I can’t meditate?
These are the most common difficulties people feel even when they are ready to meditate, they are able to make some time out of their busy schedule to dedicate for their own well-being.
- Can’t settle down my mind – You may get thousands of thoughts, feelings & emotions. Let them come. Don’t try to stop them. The more you try to stop, the more they will engulf you. So, drop them & let them go. This will help to deepen your meditation.
- Feeling highly emotional – At times, we get driven severely by our emotions. Our strong desires, or hatred doesn’t allow us to get calm. Even high excitement or sorrows doesn’t allow us to meditate. Again, to get rid of all these, you have to let them go. But unless you really feel that they’re not at all useful, you can’t always let them go. Hence the need for knowledge – Spiritual knowledge about Dispassion and Acceptance.
- I can’t sit for long – Don’t worry, you will get to it once you are regular. Just sit comfortably, that is enough.
Meditation at home
- It takes only about 20 minutes every day.
- Be consistent. Make it a daily practice, in the same way as you brush your teeth and take shower every day. Meditation is your mental hygiene.
- Don’t start for meditation after heavy meals. Either do it on empty stomach or 3-4 hours after meal. This is because digestion requires high metabolism while meditation lowers the metabolic rate of the body during that time period.
- If you are a beginner, try to sit & meditate in a quite place. Once you become proficient, you can meditate anywhere. Outer disturbances will not bother you.
- You will start experiencing the benefits of meditation within two months of regular practice.
- If you’re getting thoughts during meditation, simply observe them. Don’t resist them.
- You can start meditation from any of the “Guided Meditation by Sri Sri Ravishankar”.
Many people from all backgrounds who are really busy have started & thereafter continued to enjoy a refreshing few minutes of meditation each day. Dive deep into yourself and enrich your life.
This was just a beginning article with meditation. I’ll try to explore & write more about meditation in my next blogs. Would like to wrap up by another quote of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar –
“Meditation is like a seed; when you cultivate a seed with love, the more it blossoms. ”