Hey, have you heard about all the cool benefits that come from being mindful during and after meditation? If not, then that is okay, because this article will open your understanding about all the amazing benefits and opportunities meditation can bring to you, family and friends.
When talking about meditation, it is best to give the definition of what exactly it is. According to Merriam Webster, meditation is "to spend time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation." In my own personal description/definition, it is putting oneself in complete state of mindfulness while listening to the sounds of the earth around you. Meditation has been a practice that dates back to 500 BC, thus being over 6,000 years old. Now that we have covered a brief history on meditation, let's dive into the benefits. In my research, I have discovered a variety of facts about meditation, starting with the fact that there is no one way to meditate. Usually, if you look up ways to meditate, the most common way is to focus on your breathing while sitting in a lotus position during complete silence from the outside world. Do this for 10 to 15 minutes a day as you begin your journey into meditation. However, I have discovered that there is over 112 different ways to meditate according to the VigyanBhairav Tantra --112 different ways of meditation, like, wow! There are other traditions where you focus on mantras, frequencies of different music, or even simply listen to the sounds of nature.
When going deeper into meditation, you learn that some people have different positions to mediate in. The common pose is the Lotus pose. The Lotus pose is common because it helps you focus more on your breathing, but there is no correct way to meditate. Simply find a position that you feel comfortable in; this could be sitting down in a chair, standing up, laying down, or even during your daily routine of exercises. The point of meditation is to reduce the excess thoughts in your head from daily events. Now, there is no specific age for meditation. I have read articles that stated children in the 5th grade or older individuals pushing 90 have practiced meditation. There is no such thing as discrimination, from your ethnicity to gender, that prohibits you from meditation. Meditation is practiced by many in the way of observing the feeling that lies in your body. According to Eckhart Tolle, he wrote that, "being present is natural and actually easy when you bring your attention to what it feels like inside your body. Even if you don't feel anything remarkable going on inside of you, when you bring your attention to the "aliveness" and sensation you feel within your legs, arms, and torso, you'll become more present, and your mental chatter will begin to quiet down."
Along with these fun facts, I found that meditation has been scientifically proven to: help overcome anxiety, depression, anger and confusion, increase your focus and attention, decrease your risk of heart attack and even overcome stress. I hope that this article has peaked your interest and given you some insight on the facts and benefits of meditation.
