So many people tend to shy away from the practice of meditating, even though it can have numerous benefits for oneself. Often the most common reasons I hear from those who do avoid this practice appears to be the lack of time, the inability to sit still, or even just having an outright fear of even trying. Having practiced meditation for over a decade now, as well as having taught many meditation classes, I can safely say each of those reasons are coming from nothing more than the ego’s resistance to doing something unfamiliar.
Unfortunately too many of those who do shy away from ever learning about meditation seem to hold this belief that doing the practice means sitting in some uncomfortable position for long periods of time, being surrounded by candles, and chanting weird things. Sadly, most of them fail to realize that meditating is really just about doing any exercise that attempts to focus the mind. While I’m sure there are those out there who probably do meditate in strange positions surrounding themselves with candles, all the while chanting odd phrases, there are plenty of much simpler ways to do so.
For example, washing the dishes by hand can be a form of meditation if one focuses on doing that task and only that task. In other words, moving a soapy sponge around a plate or a glass or a cup or a bowl and thinking about nothing other than that action is actually a form of meditating. But doing the same action while listening to a television program or talking on a phone isn’t meditating at all, it’s doing what the brain normally does.
The truth is that each of our brains rapidly process thought after thought after thought. In fact, it is estimated that the average human being processes somewhere between 2,500 to 3,330 thoughts per hour. The whole point of meditation is to slow the mind way down to far less thoughts than that, except it’s quite hard to do in a world that’s so sped up with a “go, go, go” attitude.
The image I like to portray when it come to this type of attitude in life is that of a puppy. Have you ever been around one that can sit still for any period of time? I sure haven’t and that’s exactly what our brains are normally like. They run from thing to thing to thing, hardly ever sitting still. But quieting the mind though meditation can tame that puppy within us so to speak. And as the mind becomes more still on a regular basis, the benefits of doing so begin to occur. Here are just 25 of them (but there are so many more):
- Increases exercise tolerance.
- Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
- Reduces anxiety attacks.
- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
- Decreases muscle tension.
- Enhances the immune system.
- Enhances energy, strength and vigor.
- Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
- Decreases the aging process.
- Builds self-confidence.
- Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behavior.
- Resolves phobias & fears.
- Helps with focus & concentration.
- Increases creativity.
- Increases productivity.
- Increased emotional stability.
- Helps in quitting addictions.
- Helps to relieve insomnia.
- Helps to discover one’s purpose.
- Increased compassion.
- Brings body, mind, and spirit in harmony.
- Increased acceptance of oneself.
- Helps living in the present moment.
- Creates a widening, deepening capacity for love.
- Experience a sense of “Oneness” and a connection to God.
Now that I’ve explained a little bit about meditation and provided some of its benefits, let me get back to those three most common reasons why a person tends to shy away from ever doing this practice.
Did you know that meditating could be done in as little five minutes each day?
Did you know that a guided meditation could help those who have that inability to focus? (Yes, even people with ADD or ADHD.)
Did you know that fear and resistance of even trying to meditate can cause more stress in the body than actually trying it for a few minutes? (Which instead reduces that stress.)
The point I’m trying to make here is how the ego will consistently find any number of excuses to avoid doing something unfamiliar such as practicing meditation. This is true especially when the benefits of meditation don’t come immediately, as they come over time with consistent effort. Most humans want immediate benefits in that “go, go, go” attitude of life, but meditation is the exact opposite of that.
But don’t let this discourage you ok? I started off living in fear of even trying to meditate, until I gave myself 5 minutes, which turned into 10, then 20, and so on. Today I allocate 40 minutes each day to meditate using various techniques from breathing, to guided, to chanting, to awareness, to a few others.
The important thing is to just try. Try it for a few minutes ok? And know that even in walking along a beach and staring out at the ocean, focusing solely on the water and clearing the mind of everything else is doing a form of meditating. There’s really no need to be scared of it and know that in time, you too will see the numerous benefits that can come from regularly practicing meditation.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson