Meditation. We’ve all seen this word thrown around popular culture. From famous celebrities to ancient monks, meditation has slowly become a common and accepted practice around the world. So, what exactly is meditation? Does this spiritual practice live up to the hype?
Think of meditation as a way of working out and strengthening your mind and soul. The important of exercising the body is obvious. We go to the gym to increase our stamina, grow muscle mass and keep fit. But what about our minds? Is there a tool that we can use on a regular basis that can help us make better decisions, keep calm in the midst of a storm and provide us with answers to our existence? The answer is an astounding yes! And the tool is meditation.
Human beings have around 6000 thoughts per day. Of those thoughts, 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive. We tend to replay scenarios that have happened in the past and worry about a future that is yet to arrive. Meditation helps to break this loop. It gives us a break from the constant chatter that seems to control us and allows us to simply be in the present moment. With consistent practice, it enables us to expand the “gap” between our thoughts, allowing a beautiful and serene peaceful energy to overcome us. It is from this place of tranquility that we can begin to hear our soul and receive wisdom and information from a Higher place.
When you first start meditating, it seems almost impossible to let go of our thoughts. I remember when I sat down for meditation the first time. I became aware of the hundreds of thoughts that were on autopilot and it overwhelmed me. I was told to simply focus on my breathing and whenever my mind wanders, gently acknowledge this and bring my focus back to my breath. My thoughts never seemed to end. “Am I doing this right?”, “What shall I have for lunch today?”, “This is a waste of time, what’s the point of this?”. These are only a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind. But, each time I sat down to meditate, it got a little bit easier to bring my focus back. Consistency is the key here. After a few months of meditating, I was able to block out any unwanted thoughts and just simply be at one with myself and my soul.
There are many types of meditations available. Countless guided meditations and music that can help you with your practice. Our advice is to do the type of meditation that you are called to. Focusing on your breathing and returning back to it every time your mind wanders is a great way to start. 15-20 minutes is a good starting point. Some of you reading this may be thinking “I don’t have 15 minutes to meditate” or “I just don’t have the time”. I’d encourage you to think of it this way – It’s 15 to 20 minutes to enable you to get the rest of your day back.
Below, I’ve highlighted 4 benefits of meditation that I have noticed through my practice. This list is not exhaustive and there are countless other benefits waiting for you to explore.
1) Improvements in reactions
As I began to meditate consistently. I realised that I wasn’t getting triggered as easily. This doesn’t mean I wasn’t reacting at all, but I just became better at handling situations. I became aware of my negative thoughts and was able to stop them in its tracks before they escalated. The solitude and sense of peace I experienced in meditation allowed me to think properly. I wasn’t overthinking scenarios as much as I used to and I realised that every trigger or moment of anger and frustration was a learning in order to better myself.
2) Better decision making
Being in the midst of a storm is difficult for everyone. Losing a job, the death of loved ones and other tough scenarios can bring us to our knees. Meditation has helped me to handle these situations better by becoming more rational in my thinking process. The decisions I was making were met with clarity and confidence.
3) An awareness of Self
This is a big one. I was realising that my ego had been running my life for so many years. I was not even aware of my soul or spirit. As my thoughts started quietening, a little voice of hope, love and wisdom started coming through to me in my meditations. I realise now that there are two sides to us – one part is the Ego which serves itself. The ego tends to be that voice that tells us “I’m not good enough” or “You’re stupid!”. The soul is the part of us that serves others. It is all inclusive, loving and joyful. I was realising my true nature and with each meditation, I was feeling a warm, blissful sensation which I can now call my soul.
4) Receiving intuitive guidance
Intuition is one of those areas that isn’t talked about much. It is because we often look outside of ourselves for validation and answers to our problems. As much as I enjoy reading, listening to podcasts and learning from others, there was a whole array of knowledge and wisdom within me that I had largely left untapped. My meditations started getting deeper, and whilst in that moment of presence, I began to ask myself questions such as “Who am I?”, “What is my purpose?”, “Why am I here?”. I took this further and began to ask for help and guidance whilst meditating. I have asked my Inner Being for clarity towards situations in my life, manifestation and my soul purpose. Through synchronicities and a “knowing”, the answers eventually started to come and I now heavily rely on my intuition for my work as a life coach, psychic and medium.
If I was to summarise meditation in one sentence, it would be this. It is the gateway to unlocking our potential and self-realisation.
If you need assistance with meditation, feel free to contact us and we’d be more than happy to do guided meditations with you. We have already helped so many like you to meditate and experience presence and there is no reason that you can’t either.
Love and light,
Sagar & Manpreet
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