Benefits of Meditation

We've all heard about the value of meditation. Research has shown it has a wide variety of health benefits, both mental and physical:

●     Improved focus and Concentration

●     Reduced Anxiety and Depression

●     Enhanced Emotional Regulation

●     Improved Sleep Quality

●     Better Memory and Creativity

●     More Self Awareness

●     Stronger immune system

●     Better heart health

●     Reduced blood sugar levels

How do we tap into these benefits without shaving our heads and moving to a buddhist monastery? Do we have to become Zen masters? Do we need to spend our days chanting “om” just to find a little inner peace?

There is an old Zen proverb: “If you don’t have time to meditate for an hour everyday, you should meditate for two hours.” Most of us would scoff at the idea of meditating for that long every day. . . and that’s the point. We all live in an over-scheduled and overwhelming world. If we can’t find time to give to ourselves, maybe we need to sit longer to figure out why we see everything else as more important. The good news is that research shows 10 minutes a day is enough time to see moderate benefits.

People often get hung up on the idea of meditation. They say “I get distracted” or “my mind won’t turn off.” Of course you do and of course it won’t, you are human and brains are built to think—it’s what they do. Even the most experienced monk, yogi, or spiritual master doesn’t hold their focus for long. The point of the practice is to notice when distraction happens and come back to the point of focus. Meditation itself isn’t staying focused, it’s that moment of noticing and coming back. It’s training our minds to not be pulled away by distractions, to notice them and stick with what we’re focusing on instead of being carried away by them.

Meditation styles vary throughout traditions—from transcendental to metta to a yoga practice. All have one thing in common, pulling focus from what is not important to what is. There’s a famous Sanskrit chant that translates to “lead me from darkness to light, lead me from what is unreal to what is real.” Meditation helps us find those unreal things we worry so much about. It encourages us to leave those things behind and helps us focus on what is important and real.

Whether you use a mobile app or go it alone, take a few minutes out of your day and spend some time focusing on your breath. The first few weeks, or even months, you may only keep that focus for a few seconds before getting distracted. Like anything else you will get better with practice. It’s not always easy, but it is worth it.