The Power of Meditation

‌We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think – Buddha

We spend so much of our day thinking about the future, the past and the external world, meditation brings us back to the present and shines a spotlight back into ourselves. Through this practice we have the power to positively influence ourselves on a physical, mental and spiritual level. The mind is the most powerful and actively used part of our being, we need to make time to take care of it to ensure that it is in the best functioning state to optimise our lives.

How to Meditate

Meditation can be done anywhere and by everyone, the benefits can be felt in as little as a few breaths. The longer and more consistently that you meditate the more benefits you will experience in the moment and long term.

When we start to meditate it’s important to calm the mind and the body first and be in a state of relaxation. This is achieved by getting into a comfortable position, closing of the eyes or holding a soft gaze, relaxing into the breath and getting in tune with the sensations of the moment. The second phase is cultivating focus on one particular thing, this could be for example the breath, the body, an object or mental visualisation. When focus is achieved for a period of time we enter into a pure state of awareness. This state then allows us to experience our own reality and essence, positively shift our mind set and assist us to reach our highest human potential.

I love a mix self guided meditations and application guided meditations. The applications I would recommend are Calm, Headspace, Ten Percent Happier and Smiling Mind.

POSITIVE EFFECTS ON PHYSICAL HEALTH

Optimal Wellness & Disease Prevention

Meditation has the power to affect every single cell and system in our bodies. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is the state our bodies need to be in to fully relax, heal and flourish. Physically the practice of meditation lowers blood pressure, increases heart function, improves our immune system, balances hormone production, aids digestion, decreases inflammation and assists with sleep.

Cell Function and Epigenetics

On a cellular level meditation can actually increase your life expectancy. The DNA in our body forms chromosomes and each chromosome has a protective protein complex called telomere’s. Shorter telomere’s have been linked with diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer and general shorter life expectancy. As we age our telomeres naturally shorten but the enzyme telomerase has the ability to rebuild our telomere length hence increase life expectancy. As stress is directly linked to the function of this telomerase enzyme, the less stressed we are the better our health is going to be long term!

This links up with the study of Epigenetics which outlines that we have control over our gene expression and the health of our cells. When we are in a calm state our cells are in the perfect environment to function at an optimal level but when we are in a state prolonged stressed this creates a detrimental environment and our health and wellness can suffer as a result.

Meditation is proven to be one of the best stress reduction tools, so where you are sitting there in a moment of Zen just think about your cells flourishing as a result.

POSITIVE EFFECTS ON YOUR MIND

Optimal Brain Function & Mental Health

True health starts in the mind and meditation has the ability to positively influence our brain function and mental health. It has the power to decrease anxiety and depression, improve memory, attention and emotion regulation. In addition, meditation increases our ability to feel empathy, love and happiness.

Finding Purpose

When we settle the mind we uncover our true authentic nature and connect to our inner energy - ‘when we quiet the mind the soul will speak’ Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati. Meditation offers clarity to our passions, purpose, values and aspirations. Well-being is cultivated by engaging in life with a mental balance and having a sound understanding of ourselves and our reality. Overstimulation and busyness can get the better of us at times so intentionally making the time to really listen to ourselves will help guide us through every aspect of our lives.

Altering Limiting Beliefs

Meditation allows us to observe our own thoughts without judgment, and through this process learn that we are not our thoughts. As humans our brains are programmed from our past experiences and habitual ways of thinking. Objectively viewing our thoughts we can bring attention to limiting beliefs we have or detrimental ways of thinking that are holding us back from being our best selves.

The Path of Enlightenment

In a spiritual sense meditation has been practiced for several thousands of years. The path of enlightenment is a buddhism philosophy which uses wholesome qualities of lovingkindness, compassion and joy to unroot the detrimental qualities of the mind, anger, greed and ignorance. Meditation is the practice that is used to cultivate these wholesome qualities in a person and as a result offer a sense of enlightenment to the individual who has taken this path. There is so much to explore when it comes to understanding the connection between enlightenment and meditation but this ancient philosophy is a perfect example of the incredible power meditation has on our existence.

So if you haven't tried meditation, or you needed a reminder of it's countless benefits, I hope that this article has inspired you to stop and come back home to yourself today!

Reference List

B Alan Wallace, Bstan-ʼdzin-Rgya-Mtsho, Dalai Lama Xiv and Sands, B. (2020). Genuine happiness : meditation as the path to fulfillment. Holland, Ohio: Dreamscape Media, Llc.

Goldstein, J. (2016). Mindfulness : a practical guide to awakening. Boulder, Colorado Sounds True.

Lipton, B.H. (2016). The biology of belief : unleashing the power of consciousness, matter & miracles. Carlsbad, California: Hay House, Inc.

Nourishing Our Joy & Happiness | Thich Nhat Hanh (short teaching video). (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KsQsmzm-ys

Peak, D., & Power. (2014). Modern yoga. Power Living Australia Yoga.

1091 Pictures (2020). Chasing the Present (2020) | Official Trailer HD. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC7R1qpRm4k.