Meditation, the practice of focusing your attention on your breath, a fixed point, or a phrase (called a mantra), helps eliminate stressful and distracting thoughts, so you can be present, calmer, and more aware of your surroundings. From this place of clarity, you connect more easily to the present, instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. This kind of mindfulness practice has been shown to bolster happiness by reducing negative thinking.
Guided meditation, a particular form of meditation in which someone else leads you through a visualization or breathing exercise, helps to get you into the practice and remain focused, particularly if you’re new to it.
The benefits of meditation abound, as there are nearly 3,000 studies demonstrating its powerful effects on the mind and body. Here are some of the most intriguing findings of meditation:
- Reduces anxiety[ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/da.21964″]
- Treats depression[ref url=”https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/248807.php”]
- Increases concentration[ref url=”https://www.psyn-journal.com/article/S0925-4927%2810%2900288-X/abstract”]
- Improves attention to detail under stress[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361002/]”]
- Increases threshold for pain[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3090218/”]
- Benefits memory recall[ref url=”https://psychcentral.com/news/2013/06/23/meditations-effects-on-emotion-shown-to-persist/56372.html”]
- Fosters creativity[ref url=”https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00116/full”]
To learn how to meditate or even deepen your practice, check out this free guided meditation with Barry Morguelan, MD, a double-board certified gastroenterologist and internal medicine doctor, who believes in the healing efficacy of mindfulness practices. As Morguelan articulates in a recent Bulletproof Radio (iTunes) podcast episode, you can use the increased energy gained from this particular meditation to set clear and intentional goals afterward. If you are ready to start now, turn off the lights, get comfortable, close your eyes, and dive inside.
Guided meditation video above, the audio-only version below.
