“Meditation has a branding problem … a lot of people would think of yoga instructors playing the didgeridoos, swinging dream-catchers over their heads — and they wouldn’t be entirely wrong in a lot of cases… it’s really about, to me, decreasing emotional reactivity so you can proactively create your day and create your life” – Tim Ferriss
In an ‘always-on’ world, finding silence the maddening noise sounds like wishful thinking. If we can barely keep up with our daily deadlines, how are we supposed to find time to connect with ourselves through meditation? Once we really understand the power of meditation, it will make it easier to prioritise it just as we do with simple but essential lifestyle activities such as drinking water. Meditation and mindfulness induce a heightened state of awareness and focused attention on holistic wellbeing. Various studies show that it also plays a role in stress reduction and can contribute towards holistic healing of the mind and body. This may be the key to managing anxiety, relieving stress, and improving memory and attention so you can be the best version of yourself.
Understanding meditation
Meditation is a set of techniques that are intended to drive a higher level of self-awareness and focused attention. Contrary to popular belief, meditation is not about becoming a different person or completely transforming who you are. It’s about becoming more aware and intentionally working towards gaining a healthy sense of perspective on holistic wellbeing. However you choose to meditate, studies have shown that daily practise builds strong emotional control, which is an important skill to have when you are working hard to excel in your career.
Mental Wellbeing through Meditation
To bring out positive transformation in the body we must understand the role the mind plays and the energy it brings. In most instances, the root of our illness is said to be in our mind or consciousness. Meditation helps you discover a new dimension to help you develop a calmer and more positive attitude in life.
A review study by Johns Hopkins looked at the relationship between mindfulness and meditation and its ability to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Meditation expands your consciousness and enters you into a positive state of mind which passes on to the brain, and nervous system. As such, meditation enables you to be more present in life and to be able to clearly identify pain points and what you can do to aid these.
Healing the body
A study published in Outwit Trade revealed that people who meditate consistently and for long enough felt their bodies were “awakened” for the first time. Meditation enabled them to focus more attentively on every movement. Those undergoing cancer treatment or are managing chronic illnesses benefited significantly from meditation as it reduced pain and improved their quality of life. Similar to those who struggle with high blood pressure, found that combining meditation with their medication helps control blood pressure.
Holistic wellbeing
The physiological benefits of meditation are extremely impactful. Science has proven that the mind and body are in fact intimately linked. This has led to more and more doctors recommending meditation to patients as a way to deal with a wide range of conditions, including migraines, heart disease, AIDS, cancer, infertility, high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, stomach cramps, premenstrual syndrome, and depression. There’s still a lot of research that needs to be done to understand the type and amount of practice required to get an effect — and it likely will be different for each person.
While a lot can’t be said about meditation, different meditation programmes approach holistic health in different ways. As such, it’s important to remember that just like any other treatment, meditation is not the magic bullet for depression or any other ailment, it is one of the many tools you can use to help manage the symptoms and work towards a mentally healthier you. Your health is wealth.
