Meaningful Meditation
Many people claim that they don’t have enough time to meditate. They have too many things that must be accomplished every day and don’t have any time for meditation. However, that is the very thing that necessitates meditation. While there are various practices, including transcendental meditation, mindfulness meditation, breath awareness meditation, and others, for me, meditation is not just about one thing; it is a state of consciousness that allows light, energy, and love into the soul. By clearing the mind of all the traffic, magic can happen. Meditation has many benefits, and can be implemented into your daily schedule by just carving our 20 minutes. When you invest in meditation, the return is not only more time, but better quality time.
As mentioned in the Genesis Is Your Sleep Killing You blog post, mediation can greatly improve your sleep quality. Meditation affords your brain the ability to actually rest when you go to sleep because you don’t have anxieties, to-do lists, or concerns dominating your thoughts when your eyes close at night.
Meditation also greatly increases your productivity. When you sleep better, you have more consistent energy during the day. However, meditation also impacts the way that you think and act. This means that if you devote time in the morning and at night to meditation, even if it’s for a short amount of time, you are likely to work more efficiently during the day and with heightened focus. Because of meditation, you’re getting more done in less time.
Another benefit of meditation is that it has the power to decrease the symptoms of depression. According to The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation, “In addition to reducing depression relapse, mindfulness meditation techniques may counter depression by decreasing negative ruminative thought, which involves repetitive reflections on one’s assumed faults or shortcomings.” Even for those who don’t classify themselves as depressed, the perpetuation of negative thoughts becomes detrimental to many aspects of life. With meditation as a powerful tool to positively affect one’s mindset, people can regain control of their thoughts and replace negativity with positivity which translates into greater quality of life.
How to: Anyone can start meditating, now. All you need is a comfortable and quiet place. Sit, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. This might be hard at first, as your mind could become overwhelmed with all types of distractions, but in time, you’ll find that being present is a learned practice.
Practically, we suggest beginners invest 10 minutes during your morning routine and 10 minutes before bed meditating. During your before-bed meditation, you can ask yourself questions or set goals. While you’re sleeping your unconscious mind will get to work on those things you focused on during your practice. Once waking up, we suggest another 10 minutes of meditation. Research confirms that your mind is in its most creative state right after sleep. After your practice, consider writing down the ideas, solutions, or goals that came to mind. Watch your life, professionally and personally, blossom with the adoption of this 20 minute habit!
