Key Benefits of Meditation
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The Body
Connect to Your Body
Breath and Body Awareness
With deeper, slower breathing muscle tension is deceased and the body relaxes. This feels pleasant and causes the mind to relax.
As the mind calms the body relaxes further.
Calmer, deeper breathing improves the flow and delivery of oxygen around the body, lowers blood pressure and kicks in the Parasympathetic nervous system - responsible for soothing and calming. Once activated, it relaxes the body and mind even further.
Oxygen and Lactate Levels
With the body’s need for oxygen balanced, lactate levels decrease - therefore ending the vicious circle of stress.
High lactate levels occur when the body is stressed and you aren't breathing deeply enough to take in the required amount of oxygen. Lactate levels prompt further aggravation of our nervous system, leading to more stress, anxiety and panic.
Tension and Pain Release
Tension in the mind causes dis-ease (un-ease and sickness). Worries don't just stay in your mind, they affect your body. A stressed-out mind leads to physical tension and pain.
Many people new to meditation aren't used to noticing their body unless they're experiencing pain or pleasure.
How does stress and tension affect your body?
In meditation, you learn how to be aware of your body and mind. To notice exactly how stress affects you.
With this awareness, you can consciously relax physical and mental pressure, easing symptoms of dis-ease.
When pain is acute, a variety of visualisation methods can help to trick the subconscious mind into relief.
This is because the subconscious mind can't tell the difference between a real and imagined experience. Using the senses to imagine good feelings and the release of pain and other worries works wonders.
Serotonin - The Happy 'Hormone'
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter influencing mood and behaviour.
The recreational drugs ecstasy and MDMA cause a massive unnatural rise in Serotonin resulting in temporary feelings of elation.
Meditation alters levels of Serotonin naturally by;
According to WHO about 300 million people are currently affected by depression, whether due to physical or mental reasons. A regular natural dose of Serotonin could radically alter these figures. If we feel happier, we can sleep more easily, our immune systems are boosted, we feel more vitality and enthusiasm for life. Increased levels of Serotonin can play a major part in healing whether physical or mental.
With deeper, slower breathing muscle tension is deceased and the body relaxes. This feels pleasant and causes the mind to relax.
As the mind calms the body relaxes further.
Calmer, deeper breathing improves the flow and delivery of oxygen around the body, lowers blood pressure and kicks in the Parasympathetic nervous system - responsible for soothing and calming. Once activated, it relaxes the body and mind even further.
Oxygen and Lactate Levels
With the body’s need for oxygen balanced, lactate levels decrease - therefore ending the vicious circle of stress.
High lactate levels occur when the body is stressed and you aren't breathing deeply enough to take in the required amount of oxygen. Lactate levels prompt further aggravation of our nervous system, leading to more stress, anxiety and panic.
Tension and Pain Release
Tension in the mind causes dis-ease (un-ease and sickness). Worries don't just stay in your mind, they affect your body. A stressed-out mind leads to physical tension and pain.
Many people new to meditation aren't used to noticing their body unless they're experiencing pain or pleasure.
How does stress and tension affect your body?
- Does it go to your shoulders, make you feel nauseous, affect your sleep, increase your heartbeat, induce headaches and migraines or worse?
- How does it affect you emotionally?
In meditation, you learn how to be aware of your body and mind. To notice exactly how stress affects you.
With this awareness, you can consciously relax physical and mental pressure, easing symptoms of dis-ease.
When pain is acute, a variety of visualisation methods can help to trick the subconscious mind into relief.
This is because the subconscious mind can't tell the difference between a real and imagined experience. Using the senses to imagine good feelings and the release of pain and other worries works wonders.
Serotonin - The Happy 'Hormone'
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter influencing mood and behaviour.
The recreational drugs ecstasy and MDMA cause a massive unnatural rise in Serotonin resulting in temporary feelings of elation.
Meditation alters levels of Serotonin naturally by;
- inhibiting activity in the stress-producing regions of the brain (the amygdala and the right prefrontal cortex).
- increasing activity in the calming happiness-producing region of the brain (the left prefrontal cortex).
According to WHO about 300 million people are currently affected by depression, whether due to physical or mental reasons. A regular natural dose of Serotonin could radically alter these figures. If we feel happier, we can sleep more easily, our immune systems are boosted, we feel more vitality and enthusiasm for life. Increased levels of Serotonin can play a major part in healing whether physical or mental.
The Mind
Connect to Your Mind
You already know that meditation provides peace of mind.
Breathing calmly, relaxing your body and increased Serotonin levels will help, but these effects are just the beginning of what's possible. True lasting peace of mind occurs when you train your patterns of judgment.
Focusing the monkey mind!
First we learn relaxed concentration or focus. This improves learning ability and memory, decreases restless thinking and teaches how to be less distracted by the multi-stimuli around us.
We become aware of what's happening right now - without drifting to the past or future.
We usually direct our focus on an 'object'.
Examples of objects are the breath, body sensations, colours, images, sounds, smells, and taste.
With the Open Monitoring technique we focus on thoughts. This is where the magic starts to happen. We begin to notice what's present below the mind's 'surface'.
We don't control our thoughts - we accept their presence without taking them seriously - like we do when a child throws a tantrum.
Through raised awareness, you notice when thoughts are affecting you emotionally and choose not to be led down the usual path. The thought is just there. It isn't good or bad. It just is.
Perceiving thoughts in this way leads to emotional balance.
Intuition
During deep states of relaxation your brainwaves change from alpha to theta brainwaves. When this occurs you're still fully conscious but have accesses to your subconscious creative mind. The free flow of ideas that can take place during the theta state are without censorship or guilt. It's a very positive mental state.
Intuition is developed by listening to the messages emerging from your subconscious.
In the calm space of meditation the vast reservoir of your subconscious mind is uncovered, revealing clear messages of inspiration, creativity, solutions to problems and clear answers to difficult decisions you have to make in your life.
Next time you're having difficulty making a decision, try sitting quietly.
Focus on your breath and relax your body from head to foot. Then ask yourself the question that's on your mind.
Try not to get involved in the story, but wait for a feeling to come up.
You'll most probably get the answer you need.
A clear yes or no. An intuitive answer from your subconscious or 'gut'.
Balance
A balanced state happens when you raise your awareness. You raise your awareness by going beyond your established ideas of the truth. You allow your thoughts to 'just be' without judgement.
This practice is known as equanimity (composure) or non-attachment. Your sense of well-being isn't dependent on events. You surrender to what is and stop trying to control the outcome.
Life is a mixture of good times and bad, pleasure and pain. Non-attachment means you don't cling to pleasure - hoping it will never end, or get overwhelmed by pain - fearing it will never end. You live fully in the situation at hand.
'Not being attached' doesn't mean you stop caring or loving. It helps you to love more.
Non-Attachment allows you to see other perspectives and opinions beyond the personal ego or - 'selfish self'.
When you practice this you realise which of your present opinions are holding you back from being happy. Then you can let go and let life unfold.
These new learnings are stored in your subconscious mind and help rather than hinder your future experiences.
Meditation helps you to let go of all toxic mental patterns of thinking and behaviour. It brings you to the present moment.
When you're fully present, right now, you aren't dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. The past can't be changed - although our perception of it can - through utilising Meditation, Yoga Nidra, NLP, Hypnotherapy, Time Based Techniques and other methods which access the subconscious mind.
When you worry about the future you experience real emotional pain - pain that occurs due to your imagination.
As already mentioned, the subconscious mind can't tell the difference between a real and imagined experience.
Wisdom
A decreased tendency to worry means increased emotional stability. This helps you to make more accurate judgments. It helps keep things in perspective. You're able to see the bigger picture in a given situation, increase your ability to empathise, be compassionate and act in constructive ways.
When we stop reacting blindly our fears are set free, we criticise less, growing more stable and mature - which in turn improves our relationship to ourselves and others.
As you accept and connect with yourself, self-confidence increases, you discover more about your purpose and develop a wider and deeper capacity to love.
When you aren't wasting energy on exhausting critical or worry thoughts you can learn to forgive. You feel more uplifted and have more energy and enthusiasm for life.
You stop searching outside yourself for happiness - such as buying material objects you don't need - something that can only ever give temporary happiness before you yearn for the next best thing.
Breathing calmly, relaxing your body and increased Serotonin levels will help, but these effects are just the beginning of what's possible. True lasting peace of mind occurs when you train your patterns of judgment.
Focusing the monkey mind!
First we learn relaxed concentration or focus. This improves learning ability and memory, decreases restless thinking and teaches how to be less distracted by the multi-stimuli around us.
We become aware of what's happening right now - without drifting to the past or future.
We usually direct our focus on an 'object'.
Examples of objects are the breath, body sensations, colours, images, sounds, smells, and taste.
With the Open Monitoring technique we focus on thoughts. This is where the magic starts to happen. We begin to notice what's present below the mind's 'surface'.
We don't control our thoughts - we accept their presence without taking them seriously - like we do when a child throws a tantrum.
Through raised awareness, you notice when thoughts are affecting you emotionally and choose not to be led down the usual path. The thought is just there. It isn't good or bad. It just is.
Perceiving thoughts in this way leads to emotional balance.
Intuition
During deep states of relaxation your brainwaves change from alpha to theta brainwaves. When this occurs you're still fully conscious but have accesses to your subconscious creative mind. The free flow of ideas that can take place during the theta state are without censorship or guilt. It's a very positive mental state.
Intuition is developed by listening to the messages emerging from your subconscious.
In the calm space of meditation the vast reservoir of your subconscious mind is uncovered, revealing clear messages of inspiration, creativity, solutions to problems and clear answers to difficult decisions you have to make in your life.
Next time you're having difficulty making a decision, try sitting quietly.
Focus on your breath and relax your body from head to foot. Then ask yourself the question that's on your mind.
Try not to get involved in the story, but wait for a feeling to come up.
You'll most probably get the answer you need.
A clear yes or no. An intuitive answer from your subconscious or 'gut'.
Balance
A balanced state happens when you raise your awareness. You raise your awareness by going beyond your established ideas of the truth. You allow your thoughts to 'just be' without judgement.
This practice is known as equanimity (composure) or non-attachment. Your sense of well-being isn't dependent on events. You surrender to what is and stop trying to control the outcome.
Life is a mixture of good times and bad, pleasure and pain. Non-attachment means you don't cling to pleasure - hoping it will never end, or get overwhelmed by pain - fearing it will never end. You live fully in the situation at hand.
'Not being attached' doesn't mean you stop caring or loving. It helps you to love more.
Non-Attachment allows you to see other perspectives and opinions beyond the personal ego or - 'selfish self'.
When you practice this you realise which of your present opinions are holding you back from being happy. Then you can let go and let life unfold.
These new learnings are stored in your subconscious mind and help rather than hinder your future experiences.
Meditation helps you to let go of all toxic mental patterns of thinking and behaviour. It brings you to the present moment.
When you're fully present, right now, you aren't dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. The past can't be changed - although our perception of it can - through utilising Meditation, Yoga Nidra, NLP, Hypnotherapy, Time Based Techniques and other methods which access the subconscious mind.
When you worry about the future you experience real emotional pain - pain that occurs due to your imagination.
As already mentioned, the subconscious mind can't tell the difference between a real and imagined experience.
Wisdom
A decreased tendency to worry means increased emotional stability. This helps you to make more accurate judgments. It helps keep things in perspective. You're able to see the bigger picture in a given situation, increase your ability to empathise, be compassionate and act in constructive ways.
When we stop reacting blindly our fears are set free, we criticise less, growing more stable and mature - which in turn improves our relationship to ourselves and others.
As you accept and connect with yourself, self-confidence increases, you discover more about your purpose and develop a wider and deeper capacity to love.
When you aren't wasting energy on exhausting critical or worry thoughts you can learn to forgive. You feel more uplifted and have more energy and enthusiasm for life.
You stop searching outside yourself for happiness - such as buying material objects you don't need - something that can only ever give temporary happiness before you yearn for the next best thing.
The Spirit
Connect to Energy
Within & Around You
By spirit I'm referring to the energy both within you and throughout everything in the entire universe, or the unified field and super-string theory in Physics.
As awareness expands beyond the ego (limited sense of self), you recognise a more expanded sense of being. A shared connection not only with others but with the natural world - you perceive a shared energy sometimes referred to as 'Super-consciousness'.
When someone can be truly non-attached to the limited idea of a separate sense of self they become Self-Realized. They experience a 'One-ness' with all things.
The teachings of the Buddha and many other masters of consciousness are based on this concept.
As awareness expands beyond the ego (limited sense of self), you recognise a more expanded sense of being. A shared connection not only with others but with the natural world - you perceive a shared energy sometimes referred to as 'Super-consciousness'.
When someone can be truly non-attached to the limited idea of a separate sense of self they become Self-Realized. They experience a 'One-ness' with all things.
The teachings of the Buddha and many other masters of consciousness are based on this concept.
Consciousness
In conclusion and for kicks . . .
Let's compare the mind to a computer!
Conscious Mind = Input from the senses (Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse)
Subconscious = Operating system (Windows / Mac OS X) and storage (Hard drive)
Super-consciousness = The World Wide Web
With the help of meditation, your mind (the computer) is in full working order, information is processed correctly and it's connected to the world wide web.
Without a form of deeper insight into the subconscious mind, (such as meditation) - old programs (past impressions) don't get reviewed and updated, bugs and viruses (habits, automatic thinking & reactions) corrupt correct function - and without access to the internet (connection to self and the world around you), deeper insight and potential is limited.
Do you want to Update and Reboot Your Personal Computer?
Great! See beyond your conscious mind, draw back the curtain and let the magic begin!
Let's compare the mind to a computer!
Conscious Mind = Input from the senses (Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse)
Subconscious = Operating system (Windows / Mac OS X) and storage (Hard drive)
Super-consciousness = The World Wide Web
With the help of meditation, your mind (the computer) is in full working order, information is processed correctly and it's connected to the world wide web.
Without a form of deeper insight into the subconscious mind, (such as meditation) - old programs (past impressions) don't get reviewed and updated, bugs and viruses (habits, automatic thinking & reactions) corrupt correct function - and without access to the internet (connection to self and the world around you), deeper insight and potential is limited.
Do you want to Update and Reboot Your Personal Computer?
Great! See beyond your conscious mind, draw back the curtain and let the magic begin!
