BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

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Submitted Date 05/08/2019
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In the past, when most people thought of meditation, they imagined a bald man sitting pretzel style in silence, perhaps dressed in orange robes surrounded by gongs. However, as time has progressed people have begun to rebrand meditation as mindfulness, a widespread practice that is an option for anyone and everyone, despite religion or beliefs.

If you have yet to look into the practice of mindfulness, you may be surprised that it is a psychological experience that allows you to connect to the present moment, while providing numerous benefits to your everyday life. These benefits reach further than what some might assume to be a "zen" experience, considering the physical and mental benefits this practice can provide. Here just a few of the ways that practicing mindfulness can improve the perspective of your daily life:

1. Decrease in Anxiety

You may have a stressful schedule that may make you feel like taking extra time out of your day to practice mindfulness could hinder your time management. However, many studies show that when implementing mindfulness into your daily routine can have a profound effect by lowering your stress levels. When you're less stressed, you become more centered and feel in control of the tasks that you must accomplish. If you feel the need to decrease the levels of stress in your life, take some time to do a simple internet search of free guided meditations that will help you remember that you can overcome your anxiety, and the stress you experience will pass by as the days go on.

 

2. Increase in Focus

We all have work to do, whether it be in school, household chores, work assignments, or other duties that require our focus. Sometimes, these responsibilities can scare us into the many distractions that surround us every day. Luckily, the practice of mindfulness, even if only for about ten minutes, can remind us of the task at hand-- as well as our ability to accomplish it. Even a short practice of focus centered mindfulness meditation can turn a cluttered mind into focused energy that will encourage us to achieve our goals in a timely manner.

 

3. Appreciation and Kindness

Many types of mindfulness meditation focus on different goals. Love and kindness guided meditations allow us to see the world and people around us with a more loving perspective. We all feel irritable from time to time, which may be triggered by other people or situations we have no control over. Through the practice of mindfulness, we can look at the world through a new lens. Through this view, we can find ourselves less angry about the predicaments we have no authority over. Along with this, it is easier to connect and appreciate the people that surround us, rather than criticize their actions or personality.

 

These are only three of the many benefits of practicing mindfulness in our daily life. Luckily, many online resources can help you begin your journey into a more mindful and self-aware being. Don't discount this practice before you try it, and don't give up immediately if you don't see results right away. Progress takes time and hard work, but it is always worth it in the end.

Replace intimidation with curiosity. Be your authentic self with everyone you meet, so you make authentic connections.

Comments

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  • No name 4 years, 10 months ago

    Love this little reminder that this is a great thing to try!

  • Tomas Chough 4 years, 10 months ago

    Awesome. I try to meditate everyday and agree with everything you mentioned. It also just gives you an overall better sense of being that's hard to explain. Thanks for sharing!

  • Nina Appasamy 4 years, 10 months ago

    This is a great and informative peace, but it is worth noting that meditation in ancient Chinese tradition also often focused on mindfulness. I just took a class on Religion and Healing in China, and we discussed the different practices of meditation. A very simplified summary would acknowledge that sometimes meditation was used to gain greater discipline. In Daoism, meditation was a means of balancing the body's Qi and reconnecting humans with the original, tranquil state of the universe. One of the goals of Buddhism and meditation actually specifically deals with mindfulness. I enjoyed reading your piece, but it is important to recognize that "mindfulness" and some of these "modern" developments in meditation are really not modern, at all.

  • Miranda Fotia 4 years, 10 months ago

    I love meditation. I wish I was disciplined enough to do it daily. I think it would help a lot with the mind chatter and anxiety. Thanks for the info!

  • Julie Nunn 4 years, 9 months ago

    I loved your article. It took me practically my whole adult life to begin the practice of meditation/mindfulness. I began with a yoga class and it was literally life-changing for me. With the stress of everyday living these days, it is something everyone should give some serious consideration to putting into practice in their daily lives. I set aside time every day for it, even if it's only ten or fifteen minutes. I read an article recently that kids are even starting to engage in it as well which is so awesome to see unfolding. I think it would be great if it were a class taught in schools starting from kindergarten on.....maybe if we did we would have less stressed out, over-worked, over-tired adults running around.

  • Jacqueline Hemingway 1 year, 6 months ago

    What is being termed as mindfulness meditation is something I guess I have been practicing my entire meditative life. I learned meditation in my youth, choosing not to follow established modalities such as transcendental meditation or the many other variations. I found my own path, which as it turns out is the mindfulness approach of which you speak. When I began my personal growth therapy, my awesome therapist Stefanie pointed out that the mindfulness meditative practices of being present and in the moment is her ideal practice. With purposed breathing exercises, acceptance, and enjoying myself within these moments, bringing myself to a presence within the present, promotes a much healthier me, a more peaceful me and in turn others often see these attributes in me. It is nice to be able to say, try this, you might find it life-changing.