How often do we hear spiritual leaders talking about meditation or ‘dhyana’? Those amongst us who practice meditation swear by its benefits and are always willing to share information about its benefits with others.
What is meditation?
Meditation or mindfulness is described as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”. The process may appear very simple in theory but when you actually sit to meditate, you will realize the fickleness of your mind. Like a wanderer, you will see glimpses of the many thoughts that plague your mind.
I remember when I was learning meditation, our guruji had said, “Your mind is like a roaring sea with huge intimidating waves. With meditation, you will observe your mind turning into a lake with gentle ripples only.”
My experience with meditation
I started meditating at a very early age, not due to any emotional or mental disturbance, but because I wanted to explore what meditation is all about. Having said that, many start meditating as a solution to their problems. As our guruji said, “Whatever leads you to this beginning is immaterial; it is the journey that is important.”
As I started practicing meditation, I realized that my perspectives changed altogether. Nothing could make me extremely elated or depressed. This balance and equanimity is what meditation brings to your life. We were taught to step out of the situation and view it as an observer. Only then would we not allow our emotions to overpower our thoughts.
Importance of meditation
Meditation is known to have many benefits for the body and mind. Here are some scientifically proven benefits of meditation:
It improves symptoms like hypertension as it works towards making you a calmer person.
It reduces stress of chronic illnesses.
It boosts your cardiovascular health.
It helps in cases of depression and improving anxiety disorders.
It helps in abstinence from drug abuse.
It reduces self-injurious behaviours in patients with personality disorders.
All in all, since meditation works on your mind or the nervous system, any symptom or syndrome connected with it will improve. You will start feeling good about yourself and in control of your feelings and emotions.
These small learnings and many more such aspects of meditation hold the capacity to make you a better person…to make you feel good about the person you are. If you haven’t yet embarked on this journey, do it now and see the difference for yourself.
Written by Ruchi Rajan