Meditation is a blissful state of relaxation that happens when the mind is calm and quiet. Image that, a completely quiet brain. Buddhists have been practicing meditation for centuries. It has recently started gaining more popularity. Our modern lives have become so stressful and chaotic on a daily basis that more and more people are looking for ways to bring more calm and focus back to their lives. Meditation not only brings focus, allowing you to be more productive, it also improves your overall happiness and promotes better health.
Meditation can be done several ways including sitting quietly and keeping your focus on a clear mind, spending quiet time in nature, practicing a mindful form of exercise like yoga, and even spending quiet time bonding with a horse.
The benefits of meditation are numerous. Here are just a few that may encourage you to start adding a few minutes of meditation a day to your daily routine.
Improves Focus and Productivity
Our busy lives often leave us feeling overwhelmed and easily distracted. You’re probably thinking “I don’t have time to slow down for even a few minutes”, yet one of the biggest benefits of meditation is improving your focus and productivity. Just a few minutes a day of meditation can not only help you become more focused; it will improve your memory.
Eases Depression
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that a regular meditation practice has the same effect on the brain as taking anti-depressant drugs. Meditation doesn’t completely free you of the symptoms of depression, yet it’s a great way to manage them, drug-free.
Reduces Dementia
Another study by researchers at UCLA found that people who meditate every day for a year have better memory function than non-meditators. Some of the study’s participants had been meditating for over 20 years and they had more grey matter than those who hadn’t been meditating as long. Meditation reduces memory loss and helps to prevent brain diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Eases Worry
Worrying about things you have no control over significantly reduces your ability to feel happy. Mediation helps to quiet your stressful thoughts so that you can enjoy your life more in the present moment.
Reduces Anxiety
Meditation has also been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety disorder or PTSD. It allows your mind to find a place of calmness so your body is filed with a sense of well-being, which reduces any anxiety you may be feeling.
The best part is that you only need to meditate an average of seven minutes a day to start experiencing these benefits. Try a free app like Calm or Stop, Breathe & Think to get started. They offer background noises and guided meditations to help you learn to focus and clear your mind.
Want to have the horses help ease the worry and anxiety feel free to give me a call for a FREE consultation at 970-682-4405 or email us at andrea@witherswhisper.com