GUIDED MEDITATION
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Meditation has become a household word and common practice for many. Even if you haven't actually tried it or developed an actual meditation practice you are no doubt familiar with the concept. Meditation is a very general definition under which all kinds of more specific practices fall.
"Meditation is a practical means for calming yourself, for letting go of your biases and seeing what is, openly and clearly. It is a way of training the mind so that you are not distracted and caught up in its endless churning. Meditation teaches you to systematically explore your inner dimensions. It is a system of commitment, not commandment. You are committing to yourself, to your path, and to the goal of knowing yourself. But at the same time, learning to be calm and still should not become a ceremony or religious ritual; it is a universal requirement of the human body."
- From Yoga International
While experience my most troubling symptoms during my life crisis I came to rely and appreciate numerous guided meditations (see links below).
It was my experience that having a recorded voice or music guided me to relax, breathe, and helped distract my busy brain providing me a sense of peace - if only for a short amount of time.
I do believe meditating is only as complicated as you decide it should be. I now enjoy and benefit from a regular meditiation practice that sometimes only consists of taking one or two breaks in the day to close my eyes, breathe and allow my thoughts to pass by like clouds in the sky.
The benefits of mediation are well documented!
"Quiet the mind and the soul will speak." - Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati
The Mind-Blowing Science of How Meditation Rewires Your Brain
-by The Science of People
At first, I couldn’t believe that a simple daily meditation practice affected my life so powerfully. So, I started doing research and devoured all of the scientific studies on meditation that I could find. I was amazed at what I found – it turns out meditation can transform nearly every area of your life. Here are fourteen scientifically proven ways meditation rewires your brain for happiness, peace and success.
#1: Meditation reduces stress
Feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders? Meditation is incredibly effective at reducing stress and anxiety. One study found that mindfulness and zen type meditations significantly reduce stress when practiced over a period of three months. Another study revealed that meditation literally reduces the density of brain tissue associated with anxiety and worrying. If you want your stress levels to plummet, meditation may be the answer. Sources: NCBI, Wiley Online Library, The American Journal of Psychiatry, ScienceDirect
#2: Meditation increases your sense of well-being
Want to fill your life with happiness and energy? Mindfulness meditation increases your psychological functioning and in the process improves your sense of well-being. Yoga and tai chi have been found to do this also – according to studies, they have significant therapeutic effects and increase quality of life when practiced regularly. Sources: Annals of Behavioral Medicine, ResearchGate, US National Library of Medicine, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect
#3: Meditation increases your sense of connectedness and empathy
Feeling a little disconnected from those around you? Try compassion meditation. Lovingkindess meditation (sometimes called Metta) is a compassion-based meditation that enhances brain areas associated with mental processing and empathy. It also increases your sense of social connectedness. Not a hugging person? You just might become one after trying metta! Sources: US National Library of Medicine, US National Library of Medicine
#4: Meditation improves focus
Would you love to add razor-edge focus to your life? Research shows that meditation improves cognition and increases your ability to perform tasks requiring focus. One study tested a variety of different meditation types, including Transcendental Meditation, Vipassana, Tibetan Buddhist Meditation, Sufi Meditation and Hindu Meditation, and found that they all improve focus by varying degrees. I used to think coffee was the best way to get focused – now I just meditate. Sources: ResearchGate, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
#5: Meditation improves relationships
Want to strengthen your relationships? Meditation has been shown to better your ability to relate to others. How? It improves your ability to empathize, and it hones your ability to pick up on cues indicating how others are feeling. Meditation also increases your emotional stability, making you less likely to be influenced by any negative people in your life. Sources: Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
#6: Meditation makes you more creative
Ever feel like you could use some more inspiration? Meditation increases your creativity, according to various studies. It’s no wonder that famous creatives like Yoko Ono, David Lynch and Marina Abramović make meditation a major part of their life. Sources: US National Library of Medicine, Frontiers in Psychology, Plos One
#7: Meditation improves memory
Whether you want to become a memory champion or you simply want to remember the name of that guy who works down the hall, meditation can help. Research has shown that it improves your ability to memorize things and to store and consolidate new information. Sources: Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, Association for Psychological Science
#8: Meditation improve your ability to make decisions
There’s a reason high powered executives turn to meditation to help them do their jobs better. Studies have found that both mindfulness meditation and Transcendental Meditation help you make better decisions by improving the functioning of your brain’s decision-making centers. If you want to start cultivating your inner executive, give meditation a try. Sources: US National Library of Medicine, ResearchGate
#9: Meditation helps people overcome addictions
Do you know someone who has struggled with addiction? One of the most beautiful effects of meditation is that it can help people overcome powerful addictions. One fascinating study found that Vipassana meditation can be incredibly effective at helping people overcoming alcohol and drug related addictions, and similar effects have been found for various types of meditation. Source: Addiction Research, Journal of Addiction Medicine, Mindfulness and Acceptance
#10: Meditation improves cardiovascular health
Want to get some of the benefits of exercise by sitting in one place? Researchers have found that both mindfulness and Transcendental Meditation improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of heart disease. Sources: Family and Community Health, JAMA Internal Medicine
#11: Meditation enhances your immune system
Do you get sick more often than you would like? Believe it or not, a variety of different types of meditation, from mindfulness to yoga, have been shown to strengthen the human immune system and make you more resistant to viruses and infections. Take that, cold season. Sources: Psychosomatic Medicine, International Journal of Yoga, Plos One
#12: Meditation helps you find “flow”
Have you ever felt totally, utterly absorbed in the moment? Maybe you were playing a sport or painting a picture, and the world around you just seemed to vanish. This is called “flow,” and is a rare state where the human mind is operating in complete harmony with itself, when you reach a challenge perfectly suited to your abilities. Meditation can help you reach this amazing state of mind, according to some fascinating research.
Sources: The Zone: Use Breath, Posture and Passion to Get Into the Flow State, How You Can Enter Mindfulness In 4 Simple Steps, History of Happiness
#13: Meditation reduces physical and emotional pain (better than morphine)
Perhaps the most amazing benefit of meditation is that it has the capability to reduce mental and physical pain better than morphine. Yep, you read that right. That’s a pretty incredibly scientific finding.
Source: Read this awesome Huffington Post research summary
#14: Meditation takes you towards enlightenment?
Traditionally, the goal of meditation is to reach Enlightenment, or a state of perfect happiness and understanding. Can you reach enlightenment by meditating? Who’s to say? Many people say yes, although science still doesn’t have an answer.
Easy links to some of my favorite
guided meditations/ talks / techniques:
True Divine Nature - Matt Kahn talk(s)
Before Sleep | Spoken Guided Meditation | Chakra Alignment | Chakra Balance
Training Your Mind to Come from a Place of Love Instead of Fear - Guided Meditation / Hypnotherapy
Relax to Release Fear and Anxiety Meditation Video with your Angels
Ocean Meditation - Mindfulness for Anxiety, Fear, Hurt, Sadness
Guided Meditation with Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle - Acceptance and Surrender (video)
Eckhart Tolle - Trust The PAIN In Your Life - A Talk
Eckhart Tolle Laughter Breaks Through the Ego - A Talk
Sweet Dreams: Sleep Peacefully and Soundly, Meditation with Doreen Virtue
Meet Your Guardian Angels, Doreen Virtue
Clearing and Shielding with Archangel Michael
Let Go and Let God and Archangel Michael Heal and Help You, Doreen Virtue Australia
Deep breathing exercises--Anxiety
Using Deep Abdominal Breathing to Reduce Anxiety
How to Perform the 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise
Abraham Hicks - Breathing Meditation
Abraham Hicks - How To Release Anxiety - A Talk
Abraham Hicks ~ How To Cope With Panic Attack Problems
Abraham Hicks - You Are Led To What You Want All Day Everyday
Abraham Hicks - Act As If You Have That Which You Do Not
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