Chapter 01 - Mindful Meditation – An Overview
Mindful meditation is actually very simple, yet it comes with great benefits.
The Origin Of Mindful Meditation
It’s a Western practice with roots in thousands of years of Buddhism, where it’s referred to as “Insight Meditation.” As that name suggests, it is meant to develop our mental skills and become more aware. However, mindful meditation is not associated with any specific ideology.
Mindfulness is a skill we all possess, but not all of us develop and cultivate it fully. The unique thing about mindful meditation is that it allows us to take an active part in our thinking process instead of remaining passive. It’s more than being aware of the world around us; it specifically refers to that exciting and sometimes mysterious world inside of us. Mindfulness increases our awareness of ourselves and how we think. It’s an effective way of knowing ourselves better.
Mindful meditation is always purposeful and non-judgmental. We calmly accept and acknowledge what is. Instead of moving through the day on autopilot, mindful meditation allows us to be more present and gain more control over our thoughts and activities. This invariable enriches our lives beyond measure.
Mindfulness To Tackle Daily Challenges
When we practice mindful meditation consistently, we gain an inner calm that will help us deal with life’s many challenges. How often have we become so stressed that we have consciously avoided thinking about our problems, which then only worsen as we become more stressed? Sometime, it may feel easier not to think at all. But in the long run, reality will take over.
Non-judgmental awareness allows us to remove ourselves mentally from the mental tsunami and remain calm in times of adversity. We become more connected to our experiences in a healthy, non-threatening way.
On a basic human level, it’s natural for us to push aside unpleasant thoughts by distracting ourselves from what is really important. Addictions to alcohol, drugs and social media are just some of the ways we avoid dealing with the present.
This obviously is not helpful and merely generates greater anxiety and stress. Daily mindful meditation keeps us focused on the present and helps us deal with problems rather than avoiding them. Fortunately, becoming more aware is a skill that can be learned. Like playing a musical instrument or a sport, the more we practice, the better we become at it.
The Positive Impact Of Mindful Meditation
Mindful meditation has moved from the mystical to mainstream. Many studies have confirmed the benefits of regular mindful meditation.
The reason mindful meditation has proven so powerful is that the body and mind are intricately connected. When our emotional state suffers, so does our body. This is especially relevant to stress, which can cause many physical problems. As a result, mindful meditation not only improves our mental health, but our physical health, as well.
In the past, doctors have concentrated on prescribing medication for anxiety and stress-related symptoms. However, following a myriad of studies in recent years, doctors are now recognizing the value of mindfulness and recommending mindful meditation as a treatment instead of prescribing pharmaceutical drugs.
A study at John Hopkins University showed that 20 percent of 3,500 patients using mindful meditation showed improvement in symptoms of depression as opposed to the placebo group. These numbers are the same for patients using anti-depressants. That means meditation has the same effect on our brain as medication. Interestingly, these patients only meditated two and a half hours each week. That’s how powerful mindful meditation can be. The study concluded that if patients were to spend even more time meditating, they would see even better results.
Neuroscience has revealed that people who meditate regularly show an increase in gray matter in brain regions that regulate emotions and learning. Similar studies have found that areas of the brain that process fear decrease in size. Science is providing a connection between meditating and brain waves, and studies are continuing.
Another study showed that three months of regular meditation affected enzyme activity that control how we age. This important finding could link meditation to a slowing of the aging process.