Why I Started Meditating

I was inspired to start researching meditation when I came across a video by Megan Hughes, a YouTuber who tries to live a more positive lifestyle. Before watching her videos on spirituality I didn’t know anything about mediation. In order to give you a better understanding let me list a few facts:

1. It works your brain muscles which helps increase your focusing ability.
2. Can lower stress and increase forgiveness in others.
3. It is not tied to a specific religion, though many religions do partake in it.
4. You don’t need anything to meditate besides yourself and a quiet area!
5. While meditating, simply focus on your breathing and push all other distractions out of your mind.
6. There are many different ways to meditate (some use physical objects to feel energy sources, others listen to certain wave lengths to get into rhythm)
7. Establish a mantra. An easy one that I have been working with is saying “I am breathing in. I am breathing out.” This can be spoken out loud or silently.
8. In order to end your meditation session, slowly wake up your body by wiggling your fingers or toes and feeling the physical world around you.
9. An average meditation session should last around 15 minutes. It is short and super easy to fit into your daily schedule!
10. Psychiatrists and therapists now use meditation as a form of therapy for patients.

Right now I have only been practicing the Mindfulness of Breathing method of meditation, but hopefully with more research I will be able to experience other forms. I am interested in trying the Loving Kindness Meditation, which targets forming happier thoughts and feelings toward yourself and others.

According to GaiamLife, here are some of the short term benefits to the nervous system due to meditation:

lower blood pressure
improved blood circulation
lower heart rate
less perspiration
slower respiratory rate
less anxiety
lower blood cortisol levels
more feelings of well-being
less stress
deeper relaxation

I personally have always struggled with stress mostly because I am a type A personality who strives for perfection in all I do. I have also gone through periods of low self-esteem and self-confidence (mostly due to poor body image and the feeling of needing approval from others.) I can honestly say that since I have started practicing meditation, my worries have diminished. I am proud of myself for making it a goal to live a better and happier life and for pushing myself to learn something new.

I believe that every physical being (us included!) have a spirit and meditation is a way to come in contact with your spiritual self and the world around you. I am eager to see how meditation can continue to make a positive impact on my life!

Worry less and smile more my friends!