In a modern world that values activity, achievements and results, it is perhaps surprising that more people are turning to meditation. For all the activity of modern society, many still feel a fundamental need for silence, inner peace, and a moment of reflection. Meditation can reduce stress and help us relax; but, it can also give us a lot more. These are some of the benefits that daily meditation can give us.
Reduced Stress
Meditation helps to reduce stress by teaching us to switch off from the worries that can plague us through the day. Meditation is an opportunity to spend time by ourselves, without feeling at the beck and call of others. Spending 15 minutes in quietening the mind and focusing on the present moment, makes us more relaxed and effective decision makers.
Health Benefits
Numerous studies have shown that meditation has health benefits. Many of these benefits are related to the decrease in stress that occurs through meditation. For example, with lower levels of stress and anxiety, the probability of heart disease diminishes significantly.
This is not to say meditation guarantees you good health. But, there is a growing awareness of the link between our state of mind and physical health. Quite often physical ailments are symptoms of inner turmoil. Meditation can give us peace of mind, and this can be a helpful step in avoiding many stress related ailments. Meditation has also been shown to relieve the pain associated with certain illnesses.
Control Your Own Thoughts
Man has conquered space, Mount Everest and numerous other challenges; but, are we able to conquer our own mind? How often do you find yourself victim to your own negative thoughts? Some people are even of the opinion that it is impossible to control your thoughts. However, the art of meditation teaches that, not only is it possible to control our thoughts, but, we can learn to stop them completely. Through meditation we can bring our unruly mind under control. This creates peace of mind and enables us to achieve what we want to.
Detachment
When we live in the mind it is easy to get distracted by small irritations. For example, maybe we find it intolerable to be kept waiting in a line, or we get upset by a small misdemeanour of another person. The solution is not to avoid these minor problems, because they will keep appearing no matter how hard we may try.
The only effective solution is to develop detachment and keep things in perspective. A powerful benefit of meditation is that we are able to detach ourselves from these insignificant, yet irritating thoughts. This detachment is not indifference, it is just that we are able to maintain equanimity in the midst of life’s inevitable turbulence.
Happiness and Peace of Mind
Is there anybody who does not, in some way, seek after happiness? Meditation takes us to the source of happiness, which is to be found in our own peace of mind. If we have no peace of mind and are constantly attacked by negative thoughts, happiness will remain elusive, no matter how successful we are on an outer plane. It is perhaps hard to imagine that happiness can occur from the simple act of being. However, if we can meditate with a still mind, we will discover an unexpected source of happiness within our own self. Meditation shows us that happiness is not dependent on outer circumstances, but on our inner attitude.
Concentration
Be it work, sport or music, concentration is essential to fulfill our potential. In one pointed concentration there is great power; our energy and focus do not get dissipated. When we have concentration we can do more in less time. Through meditation we gradually improve our powers of concentration; this focus can be used for both meditation, and also other activities we engage in.
Spontaneity and Creativity
When we live in the thinking mind, we are usually preoccupied with the past or future. When we spend our energy on the past and present we cover up our natural spontaneity and creativity. We may feel we have neither creativity or spontaneity, but, if we can learn to silence the mind, we realise that we have far more potential than we currently believe. To access this source of inspiration we just need to quieten the mind. Some of the great thinkers and scientists were able to make important discoveries when they could absorb themselves in their work, to the exclusion of all else. Meditation helps us to live in the current moment, and thus can help us to unlock our creative potential.
Discovering the Purpose of Life.
If you are satisfied with your current life. If you feel perfect contentment and happiness then, at the moment, meditation is not necessary. However, if you feel empty inside; if you aspire to know more about the nature of existence and life, then meditation can be of great help. Usually we look for meaning in life through external events and other people. Meditation, however, shows us that we can gain a greater understanding of life through knowing who we are. In meditation we gain a new perspective of life, uncoloured by our own egoistic perspective. For those who wish it, meditation can become a lifelong process of answering the eternal question: “Who am I?”
The benefits of meditation are real, but, it also requires perseverance. It is mistake to expect all these benefits in the first few attempts; the mind takes time to tame. Also, it is difficult to explain all the benefits of meditation, because it involves a state of consciousness that cannot be expressed by words. To appreciate the benefits of meditation it is essential to meditate yourself. Alas, it is not sufficient to just read about it. Start meditating today!
By Tejvan Pettinger. Tejvan meditates twice a day and offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre, in his home town of Oxford. Tejvan writes a blog on Meditation and self improvement, called Sri Chinmoy Inspiration. Recent posts include: How to Control your thoughts.
Image by 3amfromkyoto
[...] Tejvan Pettinger put an intriguing blog post on The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily MeditationHere’s a quick excerptTejvan meditates twice a day and offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre, in his home town of Oxford. Tejvan writes a blog on Meditation and self improvement, called Sri Chinmoy Inspiration. … [...]
Excellent article, Tejvan. I think you really captured the benefits and beauty of meditation masterfully. Thanks!
[...] The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation | PickTheBrain In a modern world that values activity, achievements and results, it is perhaps surprising that more people are turning to meditation. For all the activity of modern society, many still feel a fundamental need for silence, inner peace, and a moment of reflection. Meditation can reduce stress and help us relax; but, it can also give us a lot more. These are some of the benefits that daily meditation can give us. [...]
[...] Find out more here… This entry was posted on Monday, October 15th, 2007 at 3:10 pm and is filed under le Chat Marchet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. [...]
I’ve tried meditation at various times in my life but gave up. After your article “4 Powerful Reasons to Meditate and How To Get Started,” I tried again with new determination. For 1.5 months, I meditated 30 minutes a day only missing 4 days. At the end of that time, the only thing I was feeling was that I’d just wasted another 30 minutes. So how long does it take practicing meditation before one sees the benefits?
I completely agree with your comment that medication cannot really be expressed in words, it can only be experienced. I urge anyone who is doubtful of the power of meditation to just give it a go, and discover it for yourself.
A book I have found very useful in developing my spiritual side is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which covers much the same points as those above. I continue to re-read sections on a daily basis.
Great article. Good to see a post like this make it to digg’s homepage. Meditation relaxes your body enough to change it from protection mode (which gives priority to your muscles, etc to run from a threat) to growth mode (which gives priority to your internal organs, etc to maintain long term health). Watch Bruce Lipton’s The New Biology on google video for more info, it’s fascinating.
As far as controlling your thoughts, perhaps your readers would benefit from my post, Do or Speak, Do not Think. Cheers, Ryan
@Johnston – I’m not sure what to tell you in that context. It may be that some people just aren’t cut out for meditation, or perhaps your attitude is wrong.
Even after a week of doing it I generally feel much more focused and relaxed. And years of doing it have left me, in general, much less anxious, calm, and much more reflective as well as a great deal more control over my emotional status.
Perhaps you may want to try a different method of meditating, there are quite a few, and “different strokes for different folks.” I often do a “stopping” meditation myself, and find it leaves me energized for quite a while. I wrote about it here: The Virtue of Stopping
@Johnston:
Everyone is cut out for meditation, but you have to find the right tool for you and your mind. Some techniques may not be the right way of entry for you at this time but it *can* be done.
I suggest checking out the book Osho – The Book of Secrets. It goes over the 112 techniques of meditation. One of those will work for you — just scan through and see which fits. The book contains a list of each technique and then extensive, easy to read english commentary of how to do the technique, common issues you might face, and so forth. Often there is just one little thing you might be missing that will make it click.
You might also try to learn in the context of a program. I learned from Isha Yoga (www.ishafoundation.org) and it has tremendously benefited my life. The combined breathing practices and meditations allow the daily chatter to just drop. A friend of mine who had tried meditating for almost 20 years and never had been able to stick with it found that the Isha program worked for her. So it is possible even if you have had trouble, just have to find the right “key” for you
I’d like to make mention that while meditation can be used for all of those things it’s primary function has been as a means to be FREE. Only since the 60s when spirituality has become a commodity has meditation been seen outside of it’s original context and more so as a means to a very personal and materialistic end. Furthermore I’d say that the goal isn’t to control one’s thoughts as to be free from them altogether. Which is to no longer draw conclusions about based on them. Meditation is having no relationship with anything. It is not identifying with any idea as who you are. It is being free from the whole life process, retreating in a sense of timeless consciousness.
Andrew Cohen makes the case that inorder to go from wrong relationship to thought and the mind (ie. ego) to a right relationship to thought, you have to experience NO relationship.
Furthermore Ken Wilber suggests that meditation is one of the core ways of evolving consciousness.
The point I’m trying to make is that discovering “Who am I?” isn’t just one of the many things you can look into if you meditate, it’s actually the whole point of it. And to make it any less obvious actually undermines the practice itself.
To do spiritual practice outside the context of enlightenment or egodeath actually leads to a stronger “spiritual” ego. And what I mean by ego is not the psychological sense of the word but the spiritual, it’s the false sense of self, the part of ourselves that feels separate and unique, the part we adore and hate..
It’s a dilemma we have as people are scared to be identified with any explicitly spiritual or religious in a way that would put any sense of a limitation on them. It’s THE postmodern problem, when we even make the most sacred of things lesser than the profane. It’s the whole “Get enlightened so you can have the life you’ve always wanted” BS. The Secret is a perfect example of this. Our egos would much rather the whole universe changing for out petty desires rather than changing ourselves for the sake of the greater desire of the creative/evolutionary impulse.
durka durka
Paul-
First – I think you’re taking a great leap in assuming meditation is limited to the “no-mind” variety even though this sort of meditation is generally what is talked about in these circles. Buddhist/Hindu/Jain/Yoga/etc notions of meditation are not sacrosanct nor necessarily desirable for some and certainly not the only varieties of meditation. That being said… while meditation like practices arose all over the place religiously, I’d generally suggest the more Eastern “no-mind” to it myself. But I believe it is important to recognize that the practice of meditation transcends just one particular path regarding its goals.
Still, I think you make a very good point about how a lot of this is dealt with these days – ESPECIALLY in the “productivity” sphere. About half the time I read an article like this I want to scream at its banality and egregious ego involved. But I don’t believe this is one of those articles.
Meditating or reflective prayer beyond trying to claim some sense of calm and focus in the world is quite beyond what many may want or desire and I believe that if some of these methods may help someone achieve some peace in their lives it extends beyond the dogma that whatever patterns they use arise from.
@Gideon
You’re right that there are of course multiple styles and techniques of meditation such as tibetan visualization, etc. I would argue though that in general the goal has been liberation, nirvance, cessation, no-mind, nondual consciousness or whatever you would want to call it.
I agree that this article isn’t “bad” but I always have fears when I see the first bullet point being “stress relief” and the last “Discovering purpose in life.” The writer is a student of Sri Chinmoy and he’s no light-weight for certain, I deeply respect Sri Chinmoy and his students.
The issue I’ve found is that meditation will never truly meet people’s expectations as a sort of cure-all when their purpose of practicing is corrupt in the first place. The purpose for meditating is what gives it all its power (or lack there of).
So my point which is more directed at the people who are reading this rather than the author. You won’t get anything from meditation that has any lasting value other than a temporary sense of relaxation or relief when your relationship to why you’re meditating is superficial in the first place.
It’s actually been my own experience that I’ve literally wasted years sitting in meditation that haven’t amounted to anything because my whole relationship to meditation was divided and superficial (I’m Gen Y so that comes naturally).
Compared to now when I sit I know why I’m doing it, I want to be free, I want to give up my mechanical and obsessive relationship with my mind. And I have to put forth the right kind of effort to do thaat otherwise I’ll just sit and probably fall asleep. And most people unless they have more serious instruction will consider daydreaming and sleeping meditation. Or that somehow 20 or 30 minutes is really enough time to undue conditioned structures in your mind that have been built over decades.
It’s great that a lot of scientific research is validating the external health benefits of meditation which is getting people interested in it. But if we limit it to that we run the risk of cheapening what meditation is ultimately about.
People in this age are plenty healthy, and whatever stress we think we have I couldn’t imagine it having any resemblance to the stresses of people a hundred or a thousand years ago. We’re pampered. And the thing we don’t have of all things is depth.
I can speak of myself in this that it’s taken a lot for me to truly appreciate how superficial I’ve been trained to be, isolated in my little “me bubble” of narcissism. That’s the real issue we should care about, not relaxing or experiencing inner peace or even bliss. It’s evidence of how messed up our values are that we care so much about our personal internal experience when we have so much while others have so little. Kings didn’t have the kind of luxury and wealth we do, so what exactly is our problem? Stress? Anxiety? Superficialness and naricissism.
Meditation has always been used as a means to help a person transform. And if we feel more peace in the midst of all the reasons why we maybe shoudn’t…well maybe meditation could be even seen as harmful..
This is a great article! Meditation is a great stress-reducer. I found a great video site that has meditation videos: http://www.beyou.tv/videos;search?tag=Meditation
Greg
Great article!
It is so important for people to slow down and learn to relax in our society. If we could all practice to turn off all the negative news on TV and learn to find a “zone” to recharge, we would all be much healthier.
If you followed the tips described in Tejvan’s article these would help us with stress an help our body and mind as we age and grow older.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
To be honest, my main motivation for motivation is not the health / physical / productivity benefits. I started meditation because I was inspired by the ideal of self realisation, which necessitates the sublimation of the ego.
However, if people want to meditate for the ‘minor’ benefits of meditation, that is fine. I don’t think we can say meditation has to be just one thing. It can be practised at different levels.
Is Meditation difficult?
Some people find meditation effortless, some people find meditation very difficult.
If you feel drawn to meditate everyday, that is a sign you are making progress.
The important thing is that you find the correct way to meditate. It is not length of time, but how you can actually control the thoughts and mind.
If you find meditation unproductive maybe find a group of experienced meditators, they may be able to help.
I feel most of us can significantly benefit from whichever form of meditations resonates with us most.
Change comes first from within.
The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation…
[...]In a modern world that values activity, achievements and results, it is perhaps surprising that more people are turning to meditation. For all the activity of modern society, many still feel a fundamental need for silence, inner peace, and a momen…
[...] Tejvan Pettinger wrote a fantastic post today on “The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation”Here’s ONLY a quick extractBy Tejvan Pettinger. Tejvan meditates twice a day and offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre, in his home town of Oxford. Tejvan writes a blog on Meditation and self improvement, called Sri Chinmoy Inspiration. … [...]
[...] Giornata un po’ cosi’, segnata dal rammarico per l’atteggiamento di alcuni e da un po’ di malinconia per un anniversario in arrivo. Poi in serata due sorprese. Una persona che mi cerca e mi dona un po’ di spensieratezza e un link, che avevo aperto ore fa e parcheggiato in un tab, a ricordarmi i i benefici della meditazione. [...]
[...] of the practical benefits, that a normal, everyday person can derive from meditation. Reach this page on some of the benefits and ask if you shouldn’t give meditation a [...]
The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation…
In a modern world that values activity, achievements and results, it is perhaps surprising that more people are turning to meditation. For all the activity of modern society, many still feel a fundamental need for silence, inner peace, and a moment of …
[...] šiandien man minėjo, kad medituos. Gal ir verta, kai paskaitai “The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation”, bet čia jau mano silpnoji vieta – aš nemoku negalvoti ir negaliu patikėti, kad negalvojimas man [...]
[...] Just a quickie link to a great article about the benefits of meditiation. The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation | PickTheBrain [...]
While I agree that meditation brings about all the benefits listed in this article, my experience in daily meditation combined with a highly stressful work routine has not been very positive. I used to meditate daily when I was a student and it brought me significant help. But since I begun working in PR/communications, I’ve had to stop doing it, and I have been trying to understand why it did’nt work anymore.
After a tentative and incomplete analysis of the effects of meditation (for me), I have concluded that:
-meditating removes a certain buffer in our perception of the outside world. This buffer may be composed of preconceptions, familiar conclusions and the absence of thurough consideration for new events. Once this has changed, one is much more exposed to what ever might happen during the day, thus living a richer life. However when too much is happening at once, such as during a stressful day, a kind of overload might occur which can lead to anxiety.
So far I have done Gongyo meditation (recitation of mantras) and have not tried any other practice.
I really want to understand more how this works.
[...] The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation . Control Your Own Thoughts Man has conquered space, Mount Everest and numerous other challenges [...]
The Physical and Mental Benefits of Daily Meditation | PickTheBrain…
[...][...]…
A form of meditation that I found very helpful was vipassana. I found it gave me a clear insight into calming the mind, sharpening it’s focus and helping me truly discover myself. There are centers all over the world, and as meditation was always meant to be, they run by donation.
[...] check it out! Everyone should incorporate some daily meditation- PickTheBrain had a great blog the other day on even more benefits. Don’t wait- [...]
One of the biggest benefits I’ve found to meditating for half an hour a day is that it’s the perfect way to simply stop and feel what’s going on inside. We’re so busy chasing external things that we hardly take the time to look inwards. All you need is a little “breather” to really gain an understanding about what really matters.
[...] revs a minute and I know I need to take a time out, or go totally fruit loops. Reading this list of the benefits however, makes me think it might be an idea to make it part of my routine [...]
[...] wrote an article on the benefits of meditation. here at Pick the [...]
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[...] your self-improvement: The physical and mental benefits of daily meditation. Read the article. http://www.pickthebrain.com (via [...]
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[...] The Benefits of Meditation – also by Tejvan Pettinger. [...]
[...] mijn zoektocht naar de juiste input op het gebied van meditatie viel mijn oog op dit interessante artikel van een blog die je trouwens meteen bij je favorieten kunt zetten: Pick the Brain. Hier is [...]
[...] The physical and mental benefits of daily meditation Digg’s blurb: In a modern world that values activity, achievements and results, it is perhaps [...]
Buddhism and yoga teaches that meditation and yoga poses, are the pathway to health and deeper awareness of self. It’s more than just the candles or the breathing. It is a belief and a religion.
Great webpage
. Very informative….
Have a look at my meditation site “Learn Easy Meditation” …
http://meditation.biz.vi
Love&Light.
Personal Training…
Is it better to sign upfor personal training before the new year or will better specials be available after?…
Jessie…
Great post. I have added you to my digg bookmark…
greatings…
agree…
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The information and the knowledge provided by the site is commendable. Thanks. Visit http://www.atmabodh.net for nice articles on meditation, self realization pranayama etc.
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I’d prefer reading in my native language, because my knowledge of your languange is no so well. But it was interesting! Look for some my links:
[...] all cultures and all religions, although it may go by different names – prayer, visualization, relaxation techniques, and hypnosis; they are all forms of the same [...]
When meditation allows the mind to contact transcendental consciousness, which is the home of all the laws of nature, then the totality of life becomes a living reality. This state of consciousness enlivens all good qualities in us and will automatically give greater happiness and fulfillment in life.
its nice information
i am interested to know the sc. studies on the medical benefits of meditation from authentic renowned sources in world
thanks
May I add that meditation can increase joyousness/joyfulness/joy (any English teachers in the house?). I try to be a consistent meditator and often don’t succeed, but when I am in that ‘gear’ I experience more joy.
[...] benefits of mediation are well documented. At a time when most kids are brainwashed to worship morons and socialites, [...]
[...] of the link between our state of mind and physical health. Quite often physical ailments are symptoms of inner turmoil. Meditation can give us peace of mind, and this can be a helpful step in avoiding [...]
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Nice blog!eckhart tolle meditation helps people to come out from a stressed state. A great website offers information on meditation and self realization.