Why Meditation?

Meditation is good for you. It can lessen anxiety, stress, depression, promotes concentration and there has even been studies that it reduces symptoms of blocked arteries. So why don’t people do it more? To many practitioners, the purpose of meditation is beyond purpose, just to be. But until many peoples minds get to that point we need to get a purpose to grasp. We need to answer when our minds protest, “Why sit here when we have dirty dishes that need cleaning?” Meditation can have many purposes. Relaxing, visualizing emotional or physical healing, discovering what we believe are just some of the benefits to meditation. Meditation was not designed as an energy restorer, but that is definitely one of the side effects. Because it allows your brain to produce more alpha and theta waves, which are at a slower frequency than our “paying attention” beta waves, it actually restores your mind. There are many ways to practice meditation, but here’s a good beginner’s technique to start meditating. Sit comfortably in a chair with your body straight but not stiff, and your shoulders relaxed. Place your hands comfortably in your lap or on your knees. Allow your eyes to slowly close. Feel your belly gently expand and recede, rising with each “in” breath and falling with each “out” breath. Notice your body touching the chair or floor. Now become aware of your breath as it passes by your nostrils back and forth, in and out. When thoughts arise, notice them and let them go. If sensations appear in your body, notice them and let them go, too. Bring your attention back to your breathing each time it wanders off and simply experience each “in” breathe as it comes into your body and each “out” breathe as it leaves your body. Feel or imagine your breathe moving through your body, down into your chest, into your belly, your legs, and your toes on each “in” breath. As best you can, avoid judging yourself or your thoughts or feelings. Just note them, trying not to pursue them or reject then. Return to the breath, maintaining moment to moment awareness as it continues to move in and out of your body. That’s it, you just meditated.