How Meditation Can Improve Your Life

Yes…Yes, I know – Meditation has become a cool thing to do, and rightfully so. There are so many amazing ways for each of us to bring meditation into our lives. Some people may consider a walk on the beach a form of meditation, or cooking in the kitchen while listening to their favorite tunes. Maybe it’s a walk in nature or a guided meditation with affirmations. They all help us settle down in that moment.

Primordial Sound Meditation has been a game changer for me. This mantra based meditation can create shifts within our minds and bodies, and take us to deeper states of consciousness like I have never experienced before.

During most of our waking life our minds are engaged in a continuous internal dialogue in which the meaning and emotional associations of one thought triggers the next. All day long our mind spins stories about our work, our health, our finances, our family and our future. Often we’re not even conscious of the internal soundtrack unspooling in our mind and yet it is the greatest source of stress in our lives.

In meditation, your body releases that stress and reverses the effects of the fight-or-flight response. The flight-or-flight response was intended as a short-term protection mechanism. It causes our bodies to shut down internally so that we can focus on saving our lives-literally, but really this has become a state-of-mind on a daily basis when we are in bad traffic, a disagreement or trying to hit a deadline for work. Having this kind of stress on a daily basis puts our sympathetic nervous system in control and can create havoc to our health.

Studies showing the profound effects of meditation…

Regular meditation dissolves accumulated stress and cultivates a state of restful alertness. There are many compelling studies showing the power of meditation to relieve stress and promote inner calmness. For example, a 2011 study in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journal found that full-time workers who spent a few hours each week practicing meditation reported a significant decrease in job stress, anxiety and depressed mood.

Another study led by Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that after only eight weeks meditation, participants experienced beneficial growth in the brain areas associated with memory, learning, empathy, self-awareness, and stress regulation.  In addition, the meditators reported decreased feelings of anxiety and greater feelings of calmness.

The outcome….the birth of happiness

Beyond the substantial benefits meditation creates for both our mind and our body, the greatest gift of meditation is the sense of calm and inner peace it brings into our daily life. When you meditate, you go beyond the minds noisy chatter into an entirely different place. The silence of the mind. Not imprisoned by the past or the future thoughts. The silence is where we get our bursts of inspiration, our tender feelings of compassion and empathy, and our sense of love. These are all emotions that can proudly overtake the chaotic roar of our internal dialogue. When you meditate on a regular basis, all of your thoughts, actions and reactions are infused with a little more love and mindful attention. It creates more internal happiness, allowing you to improve your life at home, work, with friends and family and so much more.

Give it a try – one time a day to start. Do 1 minute, 5 minutes or even 20 minutes. Don’t judge your meditation. Let it be whatever it is for you in that moment and watch each day as you slowly change into your best self.

Learn more about Primordial Sound Meditation here. I love teaching people this practice – and watching their life unfold with more awareness, more meaning, more creativity and love.