Mindfulness Meditation: The New Yoga
Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is in the immediate moment.
— Alan Watts
Meditation is the single best habit I’ve ever made, and one I plan to keep for the rest of my life. The purpose of this post is to share why, and encourage those who aren’t already meditating to give it a try.
What is meditation?
An exercise in thinking deeply or focusing one’s mind for a period of time, in silence or with the aid of chanting, for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation.
What is mindfulness?
A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Benefits
As meditation grows in popularity, more research is being done on the physical, mental, and spiritual effects. There is still so much we don’t know. However, there are some things that we do know:
- A study in people who eat out frequently found that eating mindfully resulted in people eating 20% fewer calories on average
- A US study found that just four days of 20 minutes per day mindfulness training improved working memory and the ability to sustain attention
- A recent review of nearly 50 scientific studies found that mindfulness was as effective as anti-depressants in helping depression, but with no side effects
I’ve personally noticed a drastic improvement in my sense of awareness, both of myself and of my surroundings, which has carried over into my work and relationships. In addition to improved focus and memory, the key benefit I’ve noticed is a huge decrease in stress and anxiety. It‘s not that the stress isn’t there anymore… stress is part of life. It’s just that through meditation we can learn to have a different relationship with stress which makes it much more enjoyable.
Cost
10–20 minutes a day. Yup. That’s it.
I personally use an app called Headspace, and it’s fantastic. You’re guided by Andy Puddicombe, who studied to be a Buddhist monk for 10 years. Also, he has a pretty awesome TED talk.
Here is a snapshot of my progress since I started a little over a year ago. With an average duration of only 12 minutes, I’ve logged over 50 hours of meditation on Headspace alone.
How Do I Get Started?
My suggestion is to start the 10 day free trial of Headspace. If you like it, buy a month (think it’s like $8) and try it out. I bought the full year since it was cheaper. I’ll write a blog post soon about some of my favorite exercises.
P.S. Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. If you liked this post, please recommend it (by clicking the ❤ button below) or share it on social so others can take a look.
