MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

The journey towards peace and a healthy lifestyle may not always be a linear path. Sometimes being  open to new methods of healing can lead us to our breakthrough. At first glance meditation may not seem to be your cup of tea. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see that the benefits of meditation are persuasive enough to make you start practicing.  I’ve been practicing meditation on and off for years, and have recently picked the habit back up during the early days of the pandemic.  And I can attest that it’s been nothing short of a life saver.

The Benefits of Meditation

Meditation is the practice of training your mind to focus by rediecting your  thoughts and attention while the body is in a state of relaxation.  Meditation is practiced in numerous religious traditions. In recent years meditation has become increasingly popular due to the countless health benefits, many of which can be felt almost immediately.  

• Reduces Stress​

The number 1 benefit of meditation is stress reduction.  Research shows that meditation reduces the side effects caused by stress such as inflammation, and improves the the symptoms of stress-related medical conditions.

Psychological stress can also provoke symptoms in chronic inflammatory disorders.  In a research article published in Science Direct, A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation, studies show a reduction of inflammation brought on by psychological stress after 8 weeks.

• Helps To Control Anxiety

Anxiety and stress are closely related. Meditation reduces stress levels, therefore diminishing anxiety. Research shows that the regular practice of meditation and mindfulness may reduce anxiety levels.

Meditation is also beneficial when dealing with job-related anxiety.  In one study published by the National Library of Medicine, employees who used a mindful meditation app for 8 weeks experienced  a decline of stress levels in the work place with an improvement in overall wellbeing, in comparison with those in a control group.  

In another study published by the Journal of Clinical Psychology, researchers found that mindfulness meditation reduced the symptoms in people with generalised anxiety disorder, improved coping mechanisms and reaction to stress after 8 weeks.

• Promotes Emotional Wellbeing​

Emotional wellbeing is an integral part of leading a happy and healthy lifestyle.  Meditation can lead to an improvement in self-image and a more positive outlook on life.  

In the research article, Does mindfulness attenuate thought emphasising negativity, but not positivity?, researchers discovered that people who completed  a meditation exercise experienced fewer negative thoughts in response to viewing negative images, when compared with those in a control group.

• Improves Self-Awareness

Certain types of meditation can help you develop a better understanding of yourself, and increase self-awareness.  Getting in touch with the core of your essence can assist you in becoming the best version of yourself. 

• Increases Attention Span

Meditation strengthens your attention span. By meditating for just a few minutes each day, you can enhance memory, increase the endurance of your attention, and decrease negative brain patterns that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying, and poor attention. 

In a 2019 study, Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators, researchers concluded that daily meditation decreased negative mood states, enhanced attention, working memory, and recognition memory as well as a decreased state in anxiety.  

• Reduces Age-Related Memory Loss

Meditation is a great tool to help keep the mind young. Side effects of meditation such as sharpening the attention span, and clarity of thinking can assist in fighting age-related memory loss.  

In a study published in 2015, Stress, Meditation, and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention: Where The Evidence Stands, researchers proved that Kirtan Kriya (a type of meditation) is effective in treating people with memory loss.  Evidence shows that the regular practice of Kirtan Kriya  by people with age-related  memory loss  helped improve performance during neuropsychological testing.  

• Alleviates Insomnia

Insomnia is more common than you may think. Many people struggle with falling asleep at night.  Meditation helps diminish runaway thoughts that interfere with sleep. It also relaxes the body, eases tension, and puts you in a peaceful state. 
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In the article, A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia published in 2014, researchers found that people who meditated stayed asleep longer and had improved insomnia severity, compared with those who had an unmedicated control condition.  

There are a variety of meditation techniques that can be used to help improve sleep patterns.  Intergrating mediation into your lifestyle can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, as well as  increase sleep quality.

HOW TO MEDITATE

There are various meditation techniques.  Finding the one that is right for you may seem overwhelming as a beginner. Starting off with simple breath-focused meditation is a great way to begin.  It involves using the breath as the centre of focus. Breath-focused meditation has several cognitive benefits such as improved attention span, enhanced focus, and increased positive emotions. 

Simple Meditation For Beginners

• Sit or Lie comfortably 
• Close your eyes
• Breathe naturally
• Focus your attention on your breath 
• Observe how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation
• Let any thoughts pass and return your focus to breath 

In the beginning try to practice for a minimum of 5 minutes, and then try it for longer periods of time as you progress.