Daily life challenges our inner state of calm regularly and more often than not, these challenges, whether big or small, lead to a state of constant stress and overwhelm. Sometimes we can get so caught up by how we react to the world around us, that it’s almost impossible to see through the clutter and find a path back to clarity, peacefulness and calm. This is where Meditation steps in.
Meditation is like a breath of fresh air amidst the intensity of our thoughts. It is a beautiful process of being able to let go of whatever is troubling us, where we can find clarity and positivity as the end result.
The thing about stress is that sometimes we live with the effects and don’t even realize it. It can be an accumulation of many little things over time. Like a small shock from a concerning piece of news, or narrowly missing a cyclist on the road, or something as simple as being startled in the shopping aisle at the supermarket when we are deep in our own thoughts. When these little events are combined, their impact builds over time.
And then there are the bigger stressors that consume our attention. These can be the ongoing demands of running a business, dealing with financial issues, managing our family, our health, our careers and the list goes on.
Whatever the type of stress, having the right tools to deal with it in the moment or more strategically on a daily basis, is so important. Meditation is one of these tools and it is amazingly effective.
Here are five reasons you should Meditate if you’re stressed:
1. You take your mind off of the problem
When we’re stressed out, our mind is like a barometer, rising and falling in response to the pressure we are facing. In Meditation, we take our mind off of the problem by using a focusing technique which helps us to let go physically and mentally, creating space to let the stress leave our bodies.
2. You slow down your breathing
Stress produces hormones that make our heart race, and our breath quicken and gets shallow. In Meditation, as we shut off all stimuli and focus the mind, the body starts to relax. This has a direct effect on our breathing. A sign of being stress-free is deep, slow, breathing.
3. Meditation reverses health-damaging stress chemicals
Stress hormones produce a range of damaging chemicals in the body including cortisol which produces inflammation. There is growing evidence to suggest that inflammation leads to many health issues within the body. When we relax through Meditation, the body can work to heal itself by restoring the chemical balance and reducing inflammation.
4. Restore balance in your body and mind.
When we start to relax, our inner state of calm and our nervous system can restore. As we let go and move deeper into Meditation, the body responds with warm generous feelings. It can feel like a sense of coming home, of relief and a strong sense of wellbeing, a feeling many of us haven’t felt in many years.
5. You allow a resolution to take place.
In this beautiful restorative place, when our being has been absorbed in stillness, we give space for a new and fresh perception to occur. Meditation can bring insight and resolution to whatever was previously consuming us.
Meditation brings us back to what is most important. It has immediate and positive benefits on our wellbeing as well as the long term ripples of resilience and positivity as we go about our daily life. Restore the balance in your life and in your body once and for all.
