We have all been bogged down with propaganda about meditation. From health benefits to personal accounts, the world has made meditation a “trendy” practice. As a stressed college student suffering from anxiety, I was the target audience. When first hearing about meditation I was offended. I felt that I could not meditate because of my religious beliefs nor would my schedule allow this new practice.

After a little research of my own, I learned that meditation can be for anyone. In 2010, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society publicized a study, conducted by Paul Grossman, PhD, that evaluated the neurological effect meditation had on patients with Multiple Sclerosis. They found that after two months of weekly mindfulness-based meditation their patients showed overall improvements. These improvements remained significant after a six-month check up. Whether you are battling a mental illness or consider yourself to be mentally healthy, Grossman states that meditation can improve health-related quality of life, fatigue, and depression. Although difficult to make time throughout the day to reconnect with our inner peace, it is extremely important to prioritize our health by practicing a daily meditation. If you are working toward a career, in school, or trying to construct a healthy marriage while raising children, life makes it nearly impossible to pause and meditate. But, no matter your schedule, meditation can change the way you view life and help you manage your negative thoughts.

So what exactly is meditation? Karen Laborde author of “A Mantra for All Seasons” from the New Orleans Magazine, explains meditation to be a mind/body connection. “Technically, it is an attempt to uncritically focus our attention on only one thing at a time,” Laborde says. The act of meditation gives you full control of your thoughts, positive and negative. With the control of our thoughts, we are able to worry less because we can balance emotions. Laborde states, “in meditation the goal is to shut out the millions of thoughts that crowd our every waking moment and to relax, so that we, not random thoughts and emotions, are in control of our minds.” She later explains the proven health benefits of meditation: lowered heart rate, increased brain activity, reduced blood pressure, migraines, as well as anxiety.

I know, I know, more health benefits and scientific studies. But in Laura McMullen’s “3 Meditation Techniques for Beginners” we see a whole new perspective. Have you ever found your mind drifting away? Or maybe you just needed to get through the day so you turned your mind on auto-pilot? McMullen calls this mind drift “default mode.” We can become so dependent on our sub-conscience that we forget to truly live in the present. In her article, McMullen recreates the exercises of Amit Sood, author of “The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.” While walking his clients though his “gratitude exercise,” they are surprised to discover how disconnected they are to their daily life. In this exercise, Sood asks his clients to close their eyes and imagine someone they are thankful for. After picking this person, he asks them to focus on each part of their person’s face. McMullen states that during Sood’s exercise, “One man came to tears upon realizing he didn’t remember the color of his teenage child’s eyes, signaling that he’s perhaps spend a lot of their time together in default mode.” Simple forms of meditation like the gratitude exercise can reduce the amount of time you spend in default mode. As Sood says, “… you start feeling like you’re not missing out on life.” Being physically present is not always enough for the people you love. When you can focus your thoughts and rid your mind of distractions you begin to experience freedom. This freedom allows you to remember the moments you hope to never forget.

Meditation can be as little as picturing your loved ones face or sitting for five minutes before you begin your day. All it takes is for you to focus on one thing and clear all of your thoughts. For us Christians, this could be a simple prayer. "Lord, let me be a light for your today." Whatever you are struggling with, take a moment to relax your body. Feel yourself calm down and allow God to take control of your situation. This will create the peace you have been are hoping for.