Meditation!! Have you ever been introduced to the word Meditation?

Have you ever been introduced to the word Meditation? Have you heard about it or read about it? Does it sound spooky or unrelated? I know, the word can cause some confusion and unsettlement if you think about it 

as a far concept suitable for sages or monks living in monasteries or mountain tops. 

But, it does not have to be and that’s the beauty of this practice. Mediation is currently been practiced by millions of people around the world, who carry ordinary lifestyles like you and me. However, what is extraordinary is witnessing how their lives have begun to shift and improve as they incorporate this practice into their daily lives.

Meditation has its origins in ancient Indian civilization prior to but indeed widely spread by Siddartha Gautama, the birth name of The Buddha, who lived in India during the 4th to 5th-century BCE. The Buddha spoke about and transmitted his wisdom of mediation for over 45 years carrying the message of love, compassion, kindness, mindfulness, wellbeing, and right action all achieved through mediation. Nowadays, living the Way of the Buddha is living mindfully, and by applying Buddha’s teachings. 

However, to meditate we don't need to have a specific goal in mind or become a Buddhist. But if you practice it, you then will live a life very similar to what Buddha taught and hoped for his students, even if you don't realize it.

All it takes to meditate is to close your eyes while adopting a posture that is comfortable for you to hold for at least 20 to 40 minutes. But, timing is also something one can improve with the practice.  Some people meditate while sitting in a chair. Others simply lay in bed relaxed. While others take long walks in nature or gardens or practice it while painting or being creative. Strive to find your best initial posture at first so that it feels comfortable enough to keep doing it. Whichever posture you find is best for you, also be aware of your breathing. In order to concentrate in this practice, it is essential to start by focusing on our breathing and watch how you breathe in and breath out. Inhale deeply and exhale fully in every round. Mediation is best practiced sitting on the floor, crossed legged, and with your spine erect and it can be achieved with practice and involvement. A sample of this posture is below.  Notwithstanding, whatever you do and however you do it is a good beginning to start opening you to the benefits it conveys to our mind, body, and soul.

Meditation has the ultimate effect of keeping our minds fully free from thoughts and bringing us in union with All that Is. To realize that we are One with everything that exists, this is achieved by meditating. But, what does this mean? It is an explanation that if given, it will lose its fundamental meaning and spiritual connotation as it is a state of mind that is realized individually. However, the many other benefits that are achieved through mediation are listed below. 

When we close our eyes and withdraw from our senses (hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, and smelling) and we just sit relaxed, we can notice our minds producing thought after thought after thought as in a stream of water. The constant thinking leaves us drained, fatigued, worried, and full of negative emotions. There is no room for peace, harmony, wellbeing, health, love, compassion, creativity in a mind that all is doing is thinking aimlessly. The thinking process needs to be there in order to create and conduct our lives, but the thoughts we use while creating are of a different nature that those thoughts we have all day which is creeping in our minds with no objective or creative aspect. A mind mostly free from thoughts is a mind with energy to act positively and for the highest good of all. 

Begin your practice in baby steps and little by little you will start noticing these extraordinary benefits that follow. You can use music, candles, essential oils, warm light, anything that is conducive to the right atmosphere for you. There is no right way or wrong way, you just find your path and it will lead you slowly to better and better results. Mediation is your health, it is your body and it is your spirit. The first principle of any spiritual understating is this: Know thyself. Mediation was given to us for this so that we can know who we are truly are. 

Benefits of practicing Meditation:

• Helps us to improve our body and mental health 

• Helps with anxiety disorders

• Helps to relax the mind

• Relieves Stress 

• Allow us to live more in the Present

• Allow us to be more patient and understanding

• Allows creativity to flourish 

• Allows to be more focused

• Allows us to work with negative emotions 

• Allows to be more compassionate 

• Allows us to be more loving 

• Allows us to recognize the good in others and in ourselves

• Improves our mood 

• Allows to improve depressive states 

• Allows to improve anger and aggression 

These are but a few of the benefits of meditation. Practice it, live it, and become the best human being you can be. This in fact is guaranteed.