Meditation's Impact: How It Changes Your Brain And Body

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. It is a technique used for thousands of years to develop awareness of the present moment. While it is often associated with spiritual traditions and religions, meditation itself does not belong to any particular faith or belief system.

Meditation can be an effective way to reduce stress, pain, depression, and anxiety. It can also help lower blood pressure and improve emotional regulation, adaptability, and the ageing process.

There are many different types of meditation, including mindfulness meditation, spiritual meditation, transcendental meditation, and progressive relaxation. The easiest way to begin is by focusing on the breath.

Focus on your breath

Meditation involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. It is a method to cultivate mindfulness and awareness. One of the simplest ways to meditate is to focus your attention on your breath, also known as "mindful breathing".

How to Focus on Your Breath

The first step is to find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet. You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, sit loosely cross-legged, or kneel—whatever feels comfortable and stable for you. You can keep your eyes open or closed, but closing them may help you maintain your focus.

Once you are settled, bring your attention to your breath. Notice the natural flow of your breath as it goes in and out. You don't need to adjust it or take deep breaths, just observe. Try to focus on the physical sensations of breathing—the rise and fall of your chest, or the air moving through your nostrils.

Your mind will likely wander, and that's okay! When you notice your attention has drifted, gently bring it back to your breath. Be kind to yourself and don't judge or obsess over the thoughts that come into your head.

Stay focused on your breath for five to seven minutes. If you're just starting out, you can try shorter periods, such as five or ten minutes.

Benefits of Focusing on Your Breath

Focusing on your breath is a simple yet powerful practice. It helps to anchor you in the present moment and can be a source of stability when you feel stressed or overwhelmed. It is a form of "entry-level" meditation that anyone can do, and it can lead to immediate relaxation.

Regularly practising mindful breathing can make it easier to manage difficult or stressful situations. It can also help to reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, improve concentration, and foster a more positive and balanced mindset.

When to Focus on Your Breath

You can set aside a designated time each day to practise mindful breathing. Morning and evening are good times, and you can gradually increase the duration. It is also helpful to practise when you're feeling particularly stressed or anxious.

Variations

Sometimes, it can be beneficial to start with an exaggerated breath: a deep inhale through your nostrils (3 seconds), hold your breath (2 seconds), and then a long exhale through your mouth (4 seconds).

You can also try different positions, such as lying down or walking, although sitting is often recommended.

Final Thoughts

Focusing on your breath is a basic yet powerful meditation technique. It helps to cultivate mindfulness, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being. Give it a try and see how it can benefit your life!

Evaluate your energy

Evaluating your energy through meditation can be done through a body scanner tool. This involves focusing attention, not thoughts. Some methods are not even about focusing attention, but about relaxing the body and mind.

Meditation is a set of techniques intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. It is also a consciousness-changing technique that has been shown to have many benefits on psychological well-being.

Meditation can be used to evaluate your energy by helping you understand the limits you set for yourself. You will see why some of these limits are useful and others seem to serve no purpose. During this process, relationships with other people will change, and you will also experience a noticeable change in the way you understand yourself.

Much of the stress you experience in life stems from boundaries. When you understand how all kinds of systems in your life – conscious and less conscious, social and economic – influence each other, your body and mind will be able to relax.

Meditation is a way to gain insight into the way you accept the boundaries between different systems. It is about relaxing the mind, directing attention, and achieving a goal.

• Take a moment to think about something in your life that is important to you.
• Think about the boundaries you encounter when you think of this.
• What people, animals, or things belong to this part of your life?
• Now, think about what will happen to these people, animals, or things if you don't do anything about them. Will they cross the line to become part of another system? Are you crossing a border yourself?
• Is the picture getting complicated? How do you know exactly where the boundary is? Will it move or change as circumstances change?

This exercise will help you understand the limits you set for yourself and how they impact your energy levels.

Practise gratitude

Meditation is an ancient practice that has been shown to have a wide range of benefits for our brain health and overall well-being. One of the most impactful ways to meditate is through gratitude.

Gratitude is about recognising the good in your life and feeling appreciative for it. This could be for the people in your life, the beauty of nature, or even just a good cup of coffee. It is about taking the time to reflect on the gifts and blessings you have received and acknowledging that their source is outside of yourself.

Research has shown that gratitude is strongly linked to a greater sense of happiness and well-being. It can relieve depression, improve your immune system, lower blood pressure, and strengthen your relationships. It can also help you to become more resilient and better able to deal with adversity.

How to Practise Gratitude:

• Keep a gratitude journal: Write down 3-5 things you are grateful for each day. Be specific and focus on people rather than things. Try to go beyond a superficial list and elaborate in detail about what you are grateful for.
• Remember the bad times: It can be helpful to remember the difficult times in your life to provide contrast and make you more appreciative of the present.
• Ask yourself questions: Reflect on your relationships and consider what you have received, what you have given, and any troubles you may have caused.
• Share your gratitude: Expressing gratitude to others can strengthen your relationships and create a more positive atmosphere, both online and offline.
• Use visual reminders: Put up post-it notes or pictures as reminders to trigger thoughts of gratitude.
• Make a vow: Write down a simple vow or affirmation, such as "I vow to count my blessings each day," and display it somewhere you will see it every day.
• Go through the motions: Smile, say thank you, and write letters of gratitude. By acting grateful, you will start to feel more grateful.
• Think outside the box: Look for creative ways to feel grateful. For example, you could try a guided meditation that focuses on gratitude for nature.

A Simple Gratitude Meditation Practice:

• Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit or lie down.
• Close your eyes or maintain a soft focus.
• Take a few slow, deep breaths, bringing your attention to the present moment and your body.
• Scan your body for any areas of tension and breathe into them, releasing the tension as you breathe out.
• Notice any negative emotions or thoughts and breathe into them, allowing them to flow out as you breathe out.
• Now, shift your focus to the things, people, and experiences you are grateful for.
• Take some time to reflect on all the people who have worked hard to make your life easier, including those you may never meet.
• Think about the people in your life who bring you joy and support you.
• Reflect on your own personal reasons for feeling grateful.
• Finish by noticing the feeling of your body and breath, and gently stretch.

By regularly practising gratitude, you can shift your focus to the positive aspects of your life and boost your overall well-being.

Reflect on the day

Reflecting on the day is a powerful way to gain insight into your thoughts, feelings, values, and beliefs. It allows you to identify areas where you have blossomed and places where you may have deviated from your core principles. Here are four paragraphs on the benefits of reflecting on the day:

Building Structure and Self-Awareness

Self-reflection provides an opportunity to reevaluate your beliefs, principles, and values. By reflecting on the day, you can identify areas where your actions or thoughts may have contradicted your values, helping you to realign with your true self. It gives you a chance to look back and identify both your strengths and the areas where you can improve. Through this process, you can develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your place in the world.

Boosting Talent Utilization

Life can be busy, and it is easy to neglect our innate gifts and talents. Reflecting on the day helps bring awareness to your unique abilities and strengths. By taking the time to reflect, you can discover hidden talents and gain the motivation to pursue them. This self-awareness can lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life, as you learn to utilize your talents to their fullest potential.

Becoming a Positive Influence

Reflecting on the day can help you become a more positive influence on those around you. By cultivating a mindful and reflective mindset, you can keep your words and actions in check. You become more aware of the impact of your behavior on others, encouraging you to act with compassion and empathy. This practice can help you build and maintain positive relationships and leave a lasting, positive impression on those you interact with.

Keeping Sight of the Future

Reflection helps you stay focused on your short-term and long-term goals. By taking the time to sit quietly and contemplate, you can make decisions that align with your aspirations and purpose. It allows you to actively shape your destiny by ensuring that your daily actions are in harmony with your future vision. This practice keeps you grounded and prevents you from getting sidetracked from your life goals.

In conclusion, reflecting on the day is a valuable practice that can lead to personal growth, improved self-awareness, and a more positive outlook. It helps you build a stronger connection with yourself and those around you, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Be kind to yourself

A Three-Step Contemplation from Kristin Neff

Pioneer researcher in the field of self-compassion and associate professor of educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, Kristin Neff, suggests a three-step contemplation to give yourself the compassion you need and deserve.

Step 1: Hands on Your Heart

Place both hands on your heart, pause, and feel their warmth. Alternatively, you can put your hand anywhere on your body that feels soothing and comforting, such as your belly or face.

Step 2: Breathe and Reflect

Breathe deeply in and out. You can speak these words to yourself, out loud or silently, in a warm and caring tone:

> This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is a part of life. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.

The first phrase, "This is a moment of suffering," is designed to bring mindfulness to the fact that you are in pain. Other possible wordings are, "I’m having a really tough time right now," "This hurts," or anything that describes your suffering.

The second phrase, "Suffering is a part of life," reminds you that imperfection is part of the shared human experience. It can also be worded as, "Everyone feels this way sometimes," or "This is part of being human."

The third phrase, "May I be kind to myself in this moment," helps bring a sense of caring to your present experience. You could also say, "May I love and support myself right now," or "May I accept myself as I am."

The final phrase, "May I give myself the compassion I need," sets your intention to be self-compassionate. Other variations include, "May I remember that I am worthy of compassion," or "May I give myself the same compassion I would give to a good friend."

Step 3: Memorize and Remind

Find the wordings for these four phrases that resonate with you and memorize them. Then, when you judge yourself or have a difficult experience, use these phrases as reminders to be self-compassionate. This practice is a handy tool to soothe and calm troubled states of mind.

A Loving-Kindness Meditation

Loving-kindness meditations are a practice that involves silently repeating phrases that offer good qualities to oneself and others. Start by recalling the good deeds you have done, celebrating the potential for goodness that we all share.

Silently recite phrases that reflect your deepest wishes for yourself, such as:

• May I live in safety.
• May I have mental happiness (peace, joy).
• May I have physical happiness (health, freedom from pain).
• May I live with ease.

Repeat these phrases with enough space and silence between them to create a pleasing rhythm. Each time your attention wanders, gently bring it back to the phrases without judging yourself.

After some time, visualize yourself in a circle of people who have been kind to you or have inspired you with their love. Experience yourself as the recipient of their love and attention while continuing to repeat the phrases of loving-kindness.

To close the session, release the visualization and continue repeating the phrases for a few more minutes. With each repetition, you are transforming your old, hurtful relationship with yourself and moving forward, sustained by kindness.

Frequently asked questions