I often get asked “do I have to meditate?” The simple answer is “No, you don’t!” Just like you don’t have to brush your teeth, eat your veggies, do your physio exercises or spend time with your family. It is a choice. And one that only you can make.
Meditation as Good as Coffee?
I had always hoped that I could make meditation as good as a morning cup of coffee for people (or tea, if you are a tea drinker). The morning cuppa is something that most people look forward to and generally savour as a part of their day. And it is more than just a morning pleasure, most people experience a boost of energy and focus from the caffeine. Thank goodness for coffee!
Meditation is trickier to get to that kind of an experience from. For many people, it is closer to brushing their teeth. It takes a bit of effort in the moment when they might prefer to do something else. Yet for most of us, we brush our teeth out of habit because we understand that it is good for our oral hygiene. It is also nice to have our mouth feel crisp and clean again. I think meditation is similar. Somedays it is a habit we just do because we understand it is good for us. And somedays we genuinely like the calm, clear feeling our mind has afterwards.
Why I Meditate Every Day
I have previously written a rant on why I practice mindfulness in this Blog. Meditation is similar in that it:
allows me to train the most underrated muscle in my body - my diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing is part of my meditation practice and powerfully resets my nervous system for the day ahead. Breathing this way provides a host of mental, emotional and physical benefits.
settles my racing mind and spinning thoughts, creating space for calmer, clearer thinking.
helps me start my day feeling more connected, grounded and centred for what may come.
helps me be a kinder, better person. Meditation trains my awareness "muscles" and it is this awareness that allows me to not say or do things I later regret.
has taught me how to be more reflective and self-aware. I'm more connected to "How am I doing?" in the moment and less cruising through life on Autopilot.
trains me to be less reactive and more responsive when things don't go my way or as planned.
helps me be more present and able to notice and appreciate fleeting moments of beauty and wonder each day.
helps me be more grateful and generous (because there is less reactivity, there is more space to choose better in the moment).
helps me be more focused at work and in life and able to resist distractions.
helps me sleep better and fall back to sleep quicker if I wake up and my mind starts racing.
helps me be more compassionate with myself.
helps me pause, reflect and decide "How do I want to show up today? What character qualities do I want to bring to my today?"
Mediatation helps with all of this and more. And its not just me, there is plenty of science today to back up my experience. That said, it isn’t a panacea on its own.
Meditation is just a piece of the puzzle and I still have to work at all of the above during the day (blame millions of years of evolution and my ‘survival brain’ for making this hard). But meditation is the gym I go to every day to train my mind, to make it stronger, more resilient and flexible. It helps me override those millions of years of evolution, old habits and unhelpful ways.
How About You?
Why do you meditate? What benefits do you want to achieve or are you already achieving through meditation?
To learn more about webinars like Meditation 101 or an Introduction to Mindfulness for your organization, check out the webinar descriptions HERE or reach out to me directly at scott@mindfulwisdom.ca.