What are the benefits of meditation?  The benefits of meditation are endless, countless and definitely unique. Recently, I was speaking to an old friend, who said, "I don’t meditate, I read, and that is my form of meditation’. My thought was that reading is an absolutely pleasure but it does not allow you to switch off, and get in tune to something deeper than your outside world. The thing with meditation is that it allows you to completely switch off. Our minds are constantly active, stimulated and engaged, and we are so used to it being that way. Being able to truly switch off means coming into the present, and being present is really where all the benefits of meditation lie.

"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there."
Deepak Chopra

How do you come in to the present moment?

There are many ways you can come into the present moment. The easiest way is to bring attention to your breath, by focusing on breath it allows you to be in the here, and now. Whether you do that for 1 minute or 20 minutes is up to you. Focusing on your breath allows your mind to have some space, and bringing your attention to your breathing; whether that be your belly, chest, the sound of it or just feeling it come in and out.

“Realise deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra have some really detailed and interesting thoughts on meditation too.

What other types of meditation can I do?

There are so many ways to meditate. Whether you mediate by focusing on your breath, repeating a chant, doing a visualisation, the choice is yours. There are apps like Headspace and Insight Timer that can help you at the start of you meditation journey, and as you get experiment a little more you may try areas such Transcendental mediation or Heartfulness, which is what I do. Meditation can be done in so many ways, and ultimately you need to find a way you enjoy doing it.

So how will meditation help me?

I believe the benefits of meditation for everyone is really unique. However, there are some benefits that everyone sees, and that is being able to connect to your deeper self. Yes meditation has benefits such as: relaxation, reduction of stress & anxiety, it generates kindness, improves sleep, helps control pain, decreases blood pressure and has many emotional and mental benefits. However, being able to connect to your deeper self can be of such benefit. It allows you to begin listening to yourself, what is important to you, what brings you joy, and connecting to your truth. So often we have so much going on around us and are unable to listen to ourselves; what we truly desire, what we truly think and how we truly feel. Meditating allows you to de-clutter your mind, so that you have the space to connect to your heart centre, your truth.

Once you begin to connect to your truth, your life really does change; because you begin living the life you want. For me this really is the biggest benefit of meditating. Giving myself the space to listen to me. After all we are really the most important person to our self, and if we give ourselves the time, space and opportunity to listen to us then life is so much more happy and fulfilled.

All of the programmes I deliver include working on meditation and I use that while as one of the tools in my coaching sessions.

You can read more about my coaching programmes and package here.

For more information on getting meditation into your life, why not send me an email?  info@worldofwonderful.co.uk