Meditation is an ancient practice with its roots deep in traditional medicine. It has been proven to reduce stress, improve sleep, cognitive state (while reducing cognitive decline from ageing), immune system, memory, concentration, regulation of hormones and blood glucose levels and heals depression and anxiety by flooding the brain with dopamine and serotonin which makes you feel happy and calm.
Meditating has also been shown to increase beneficial grey matter in the brain and the thickness of our Corpus callosum which is crucial for our brain health. The benefits we gain are sharper minds, enhanced memory, no brain fog, improved learning and much more. They also say it provides the nervous system a rest that’s 5x deeper then sleep and it also activates our healing mechanisms. How cool is that?
How to get Started
There are many forms of meditation, each with their own benefits but essentially, the focus is to create a calm but alert mind while the body is relaxed. To gain the benefits from meditation it is key to practice every day so it becomes routine and a powerful habit. In this state, your body and mind is more capable of healing through its own natural innate ability.
If you are new to meditation, it can be quite frustrating, your mind will wander and that’s okay. You may also feel like it’s not working and that’s because like many things, one meditation practice is not going to be enough. It takes practice, patience and a daily habit to feel the benefits from meditation. I hear all the time people say that they don’t have time to meditate but the truth is, we can always make time and all you really need is 2 minutes. Start with 2 minutes and as you get more experienced, you can increase this to 5 and then 10. If you need support to get started, you can try using free apps like 1 giant mind. I also find the best time of day to meditate is in the afternoon when I’m feeling tired or when I have finished work/study for the day and need to clear my head. This is another great way to switch off from work mode and relax!
“Meditation is not supposed to be the fabrication or the reinforcement of some particular state, but simply the cultivation of the awareness of whatever is arising in the mind.” Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
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