How meditation has changed my life, and how it can change yours-learn about the health benefits, and my favorite meditation app!
Meditation is the key….
Meditation practice is on the rise these days, and everyone from seniors to children are giving it a go! This really comes as no surprise. Life isn’t always easy with the constant stress, deadlines, and traffic….not to mention the absolute absurdity that is thrown at us constantly from various media sources. We all deserve to distress, unwind, and to achieve a level of calm and serenity. Meditation is the key to achieving this goal. Meditation enhances physical and emotional well being. It’s a wonderful and free “mind-body complementary medicine” according the Mayo Clinic, and I have to say I agree. The best part of this medicine, is the positive side effects it brings! I know since I have started my meditation practice, it has changed my life for the better, and it can change yours too! Before I get into how it has changed me, lets take a look at what health benefits it can deliver….
Health benefits of meditation
Meditation can help with emotional well being, as well as illness. Some of the emotional well being benefits are:
- Gaining new perspective- areas can include life, career, view points etc. it can even help solve problems!
- Helps to build the skills needed to manage stress -we ALL can use this!
- Increases self awareness
- Helps to focus on the present-you learn to live in the moment! This is a key to happy life.
- Can reduce, or even remove negative emotions-(YES!)
- Can increase imagination and creativity!-this one is a great reason for anyone working in a creative field! (Like me!)
- Increases patience and tolerance-this one is GREAT! (Good for all millennials)
Meditation a can also be great for those suffering from illnesses. They can enhance your health, and boost any treatments or protocols you are currently following. Some illnesses it can help with are:
- Anxiety-there are so many people with anxiety these days (and social media hasn’t helped much with this unfortunately)
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Depression
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- IBS
- Sleep problems
- Tension headaches
There is no real wrong way to meditate, so if the thought of giving it a try stresses you out because you area afraid you might do it incorrectly…don’t worry! There are several ways to engage your mind in meditation. Some types of meditation include:
- Guided
- Mantra
- Mindfulness
- Qi gong
- Tai Chi
- Transcendental
- Yoga
As you can see there are many types,(a description of each HERE) so there is something for everyone! Some are active, some you can sit, some you are laying down….you can even practice meditation while walking, running, or riding a bike!
How meditation changed my life
The first thing I learned was acceptance of my current state. some people might get frustrated when they first start but that is ok! Don’t give up! Accept where you are in your journey. Meditation is all about letting go of what you no longer need, and this doesn’t happen all at once.
Meditation has definitely surprised me. I knew it would bring relaxation when I was feeling stressed, but I had no idea it would bring about a chain of events that has changed me for the better. I am not only more calm, but I don’t get upset as quickly as I used to. I am slowly learning to “let thoughts pass without judgement” and my heart feels lighter. My sleep has improved dramatically. I achieve deep sleep easily, and awaken with more energy. I also don’t wake up in the middle of the night like I used to.
Slowly but surely, I am beginning to be able to express my feelings better verbally. (before it was so hard to put into words exactly what I was feeling…INFJ problems! LOL) My intuition is getting even stronger, and I am beginning to look at the world in a different way….Everything seems to be becoming even more obvious, and “crystal clear” so to speak. I swear I feel like Sherlock when he goes into his “mind palace.”
before meditation, my mind palace would like the party scene from the movie Weird Science….
now it is something like this….
I make sure to meditate for at least 10 minutes in the morning, and in the evening when I get into bed, I meditate for at least 20 minutes. I actually look forward to this time each day.
The mediation app I use….
While you do not need to use an app for meditation, I downloaded mine originally just for the timer it contained, but as it turns out, it is so much more!
The app I use is called Insight timer. I love it! There are so many cool features such as guided meditations, music, talks, and even a social aspect. You can add friends, and also message people, as well as hit a button to “thank” people for meditating with you.
When you open up the app, There is a map of the world, and it shows all of the people currently meditating with insight timer. I love knowing that so many people in the world are meditating at the same exact time. Very cool.
The timer itself has various sounds you can set for your opening, and closing bells, as well as various intervals during your meditation.
You have the option to choose silence, various nature sounds, or music to play the duration of your meditation. My favorite sound is “secret garden”. It sounds like a beautiful garden scene with birds chirping, a water fountain bubbling, and wind chimes. Very relaxing…
Some of my favorite guided meditations are for sleep, manifestation, chakras, and relaxation.
There are even groups you can join, where you can discuss a variety of subjects! It’s such a great app for community.
I highly recommend Insight timer. It makes me want to meditate all the time! You can find both Ciarra and I on the app. Join us! Download the app and give it a whirl!!
Until next time,
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