Modern life is not an excellent bedfellow for peace of mind. Far too often we can find ourselves worn out, tired, stressed and suffering. This could be because we are eating poorly, it could be because we are staying up too late, it could be because we are worried. These are all symptoms of the current human condition. We are asked to do a lot for little compensation, and we will always be worrying about stability in our life. At least we have a job, you might say. That’s a very good way of thinking – but we’re all suffering in one way or another – or struggling with something.
Someone might be worried about their future. Someone won’t be happy with their job – it’s hard to find a job you can be happy with for the next forty years. It’s all relative, and we can always find things to fear – even if they might not exist.
This can lead to stress quite quickly, the problem is that life moves at such a rapid pace. We are constantly doing, thinking, making or moving and there is never, ever time for pause. We are becoming much more akin to drones than animals, and sometimes it can feel like we are programmed to destruct. Because life moves so fast, and things happen and change so quickly, it is extremely important that we find the time to find peace. We need to actively carve out that time, or it might not be found at all. If we can find the time to work on ourselves, we can certainly do whatever it takes, within our power, to ensure we are coping with our life – or at the very least accepting what is going on.
If we can find the time, one useful action that each of us can perform is meditation. Meditation is a state of mind without stress nor agitation. We get worked up when we are stressed and worried, and this can create plenty of crippling emotional disorders. Meditation is your way of fighting back against the illnesses brought to the mind by the worries of life. Meditation puts you in the driving seat – as you should be.
Benefits of meditation
Before we get into anything else, it’s worth exploring the further benefits of meditation so you can understand how worthwhile it is. For one, it improves your levels of concentration. If you’re practitioner of meditation, you might find that you’re a little more focused on your daily tasks. Procrastination is the mortal enemy of productivity, and it’s borne from a restless mind. Restless minds happen when we are not in full control of our mind, and what do we know meditation archives? It helps put us in control. Meditation can put an end to the restless mind and help us concentrate.
Part of the control that meditation brings is through a deep understanding of the self. For instance, it can help reign in those with anger issues. It’s not about being ashamed or disgusted about issues – but more so about recognizing those issues and accepting them as part of something that is in your makeup. These thoughts can lead to you being more self-aware, more self-accepting and comfortable in your own skin. We all deserve to feel that way, but thanks to the modern-day advancements of social media, we do have images of ‘perfection’ pushed into our faces a lot. This can make us take a negative look at our own lives and lead to poor comparisons. If you take a big look within, you will surely become more comfortable with who you are – and better off for it.
It can be hard to be healthy right now. Poor foods are cheap and widely available. We don’t like being patient and waiting – which can ensure we make bad choices regarding the type of food that we eat and the life we lead. A healthy lifestyle is found through peace and patience – two of the core tenets behind meditation. Meditation encourages mindfulness and allows you to think about the type of foods on the end of your fork. What is it? Is it good for you? What is the point of eating this type of food? Think clearly about the type of food you are eating and consuming and see if you can make healthy choices. Meditating might give you the skills that you need to eat healthier, by encouraging you to think carefully and eat carefully.
It’s not just digestive health though. Meditation is all in the mind and can help you not just feel good, but look good as well. Meditation might not allow you to access superhuman powers or achieve any kind of immortality, but it can certainly help you cut the worrying out and the stress, which might stop you aging! It is a bit of a shot in the dark, but stress and worry can lead to the aging of the skin. Meditation helps defeat these issues, so why would it not help your skin age at much slower rate?
Stress is also a killer. Stress was useful millennia ago when the adrenaline released by stress in a life or death situation helped us escape all sorts of danger, but frankly, we don’t have any good use at all for the fuel that stress provides. This means that the adrenaline is more of a toxin that simply raises our blood pressure and damages our heart and our mind. This means that meditation has a big impact on physical health as well – meditation might help our blood pressure drop down and keep our hearts pumping healthily.
Our mental health is of serious importance as well. Ill thoughts can be damaging in the same way that cholesterol is. It fills our brains with poison that creates worry and stress. Part of living a healthy life is feeling good and meditation can make you happy. Happiness? It’s worth its weight in gold, truly. Your wellbeing is almost defined by happiness.
If meditation can make you more happy, more healthy, and more able to accept what is going on in your life – it’s something you must do. We cannot change much about our life, but if we can learn to be at peace with our situation, we can certainly learn to enjoy what we have and find a better state of mind. One thing though, how do we start off?
Meditation is mainly about resting. You are resting your body and your mind. The body needs to be still so the mind can be. That isn’t always the case, and while there are the benefits of resting in a deep squat in a still motion, plenty of people can meditate via different means. Some might do it through driving, riding, walking or listening to a music album. Firstly, you need to actively figure out how to meditate before you employ its use.
Meditation needs to be performed in comfortable surroundings so we can ensure good posture and comfort – key to peace of mind. Firstly, the back must be as straight as possible so use a chair or cushions to get comfortable. We described a technique above of the deep squat, but do whatever you need to be comfortable – whatever it is. You don’t need to emulate a Buddha posture or anything, just do what works for you and try to learn and get used to sitting cross-legged eventually as this is a position which really lends itself to meditation.
Then, you need to breathe. When we are settled, thoughts and distractions start to fly around the mind like bees in a beehive – it is the breath that is your anchor. Think of it as your life force, your breath – whatever works for you, but allow your focus to be on your breath. As it rises and gushes out and as it pours in. Ensure that you do not affect the rhythm. Imagine the breath as the transport for all your thoughts and try to visualize it all pouring out of you along with your breath. When we breathe in, think of bringing all the positivity of your life. Do this until nothing remains – this is peaceful, but you might associate it with boredom.
Don’t! Your mind is now clean, and that is a powerful thing indeed. There needs to be no limit on meditation, and it can be completed quickly, but don’t think about this at all – just do what you can to find peace.
Meditation, once practiced, can be done anywhere. It’s good to do this before or after work to ensure you can accept your situation and live your time away from your office stress-free and free from worry. Life is hard enough without putting additional worries into our life, so why worry in the first place? Learn to accept your life, learn meditation – because it might just be the best thing you’ll ever do and in time it will come as natural to you as eating, living and breathing and you’ll need not worry again – because you know you’ll be able to deal with it all.