What is Meditation?
Describing meditation isn’t easy, as it differs across regions and religions. In essence, it involves intentionally directing your attention to a single point. This point can be a thought, your body’s movements, a candle flame, your breath, a word, a phrase (mantra), or even nothing at all.
Meditation can involve focusing on a single object or simply embracing the emptiness and silence. The meditation techniques may be wildly different, but they all have one thing in common; focus.
“The goal of meditation is to slow down your mental activity or thoughts through various methods practiced in different religious traditions”
“Meditation is good for every human being”. But how exactly is it “good”? People say that I have been practicing meditation for the last so and so years. The real question is; are we just “doing meditation” or experiencing any benefits too? More importantly, are there scientific studies or research indicating specific benefits associated with this practice?
Meditation could be a new experience for you. So, let’s dive into this process in a simple and interesting way.
This series of blogs on meditation and mindfulness are designed by experts after years of research. On the Vimoksh website, you’ll be able to read blogs and articles based on this book
What Are The Benefits Of Meditation?
Often, we find ourselves pondering questions such as “Why should we meditate?” or “What are the benefits of meditation?
In simple terms, meditation offers two main types of benefits.
Spiritual Benefits of meditation
There are many types of meditation techniques which have been taught by many religions and spiritual guides over thousands of years. Now, the question arises: which meditation techniques can provide greater benefits and be more comfortable to practice?
It is advisable to practice meditation at least 30 minutes every day to experience some benefits.
Health Benefits
Meditation is like multivitamins which is good for your physical and mental health
- Decreases depression
- Regulates mood and anxiety disorders
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Helps manage ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Increases the ability to keep focus despite distractions
- Aids in information processing and decision-making
- Improves rapid memory recall through mindfulness meditation
- Enhances mood and psychological well-being
- Lowers the risk of heart diseases and stroke
- Affects genes controlling stress and immunity
- Reduces blood pressure
- Prevents asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease through mindfulness practice
- Treats premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms with meditation and meditative prayer
- Reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and premature death through mindfulness meditation
- Manages heart rate and respiratory rate
- May contribute to a longer lifespan
Other Benefits Of Meditation
Brain & Moods
Mindfulness meditation is like antidepressant drug therapy may be effective to treat depression.
Pregnant Women
Pregnant women identified as high-risk for depression are encouraged to incorporate meditation into their routine, leading to a significant decrease in depressive symptoms. Further research indicates that expectant mothers who engage in meditation during pregnancy report experiencing deeper connections with their unborn babies.
Meditation and may decrease sleep need
Long-term meditation and extended meditation sessions have been associated with a considerable reduction in total sleep duration compared to non-meditators of varying ages and genders.
Long-term meditation enhances the ability to generate gamma waves in the brain
During a study involving Tibetan Buddhist monks, led by neuroscientist Richard Davidson from the University of Wisconsin, it was discovered that novice meditators exhibited a slight rise in gamma activity. However, the majority of monks demonstrated significantly substantial increases in gamma activity, a phenomenon unprecedented in neuroscience literature.
Meditation helps reduce alcohol and other addictions
Studies also suggest that Vipassana meditation can help reduce alcohol and other addictions.
Mind & Performance
Meditation improves your focus, attention, and ability to work under stress
During and after meditation practice, people were found more skilled and focused.
Study shows that with only 20 minutes a day of practice, students were able to improve their performance in exams, in some cases doing 10 times better than the group that did not meditate
Meditation gives you mental strength, flexibility and emotional intelligence
Practicing of controlling the mind, through meditation, increases mental strength, flexibility, and emotional intelligence.
Meditation improves learning, memory and self-awareness
Long-term practice of meditation increases those areas of the brain associated with learning, memory, self-awareness, compassion, and introspection.
Meditation prevents you from falling in the trap of multitasking too often
Multitasking is dangerous and also a source of stress .Changing between activities can be dangerous for the brain, and in many cases, may induce feelings of distraction and dissatisfaction from the work being done.
People who practice meditation have lower levels of stress and have better memory. They also switched less tasks and remained focused on tasks longer.
Meditation improves visualization and working memory
Mindfulness meditation training improved visualization processing, working memory, and executive functioning.
Meditation prepares you to deal with stressful events
A study from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, conducted with 32 adults that had never practiced meditation before, showed that if meditation is practiced before a stressful event, the adverse effects of stress were lessened.
Meditation increases awareness of your unconscious mind
A study by researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK found out that people that practice mindfulness meditation experience a greater pause between unconscious impulses and action, and are also less subject to hypnosis.
Relationships
- Meditation practice helps us to improve our personal and social relationship
- Loving-kindness meditation improves empathy and positive relationships
- Loving-kindness meditation also reduces social isolation
- Meditation increases feelings of compassion and decreases worry
- Mindfulness meditation decreases feelings of loneliness
- Meditation reduces emotional eating- obesity
Mindfulness Benefits For Kids
Studies made about mindfulness in schools shows, Mindfulness benefits for kids:
- Reduced depression symptoms
- Reduced somatic stress
- Reduced hostility and conflicts with peers
- Reduced anxiety
- Reduced reactivity
- Reduced substance use
- Increased intellectual
- Increased self-care
- Increased optimism and positive emotions
- Increased self-esteem
- Increased feelings of happiness and well-being
- Improved social skills
- Improved sleep
- Improved self-awareness
- Improved academic performance
Mindful Benefits For Teachers And Staff
- Improve personal qualities of open-minded curiosity, kindliness, empathy, compassion, acceptance, trust, patience, and non-striving, and the skills of focusing.
- It improves physical and mental health and helps to overcome stress and burnout in the teaching profession.
- Improved teaching self-efficacy
- Improved physical health
- Increased ability to give more appropriate support for students by through being more motivated and autonomous
- Increased work motivation
- Improved memory power, working memory and sustained attention
Others
Some more interesting facts about meditation:
- Chanting of OM mantra before a surgery helps in preparation and recovery
- Meditators are more able to affect the reality around them at the quantum level.
- There is also some account of mindfulness meditation improving your sex life
- Reduces biases and discrimination related to race and age, fostering greater inclusivity and understanding among individuals from diverse backgrounds and age groups.
Voice Of Vimoksh
The voice of VIMOKSH journey within speaks to the inner exploration and liberation of one’s true self. It is a path of self-discovery, growth, and transformation that leads to greater understanding, peace, and harmony within oneself. Through this journey, individuals can break free from limiting beliefs, societal expectations, and past conditioning to connect with their authentic essence and purpose. The voice of VIMOKSH journey within is a sacred and profound process of awakening to the beauty and power that resides deep within the soul.
Vimoksh organizes Dhyan Yoga & Karma Healing meditation sessions and workshops in various countries, with many people benefiting from this program in UAE, Oman and India, and USA.”
What Does Vimoksh Do?
VIMOKSH not only conducts mindfulness programs / meditation, it also helps people in their journey to know who they are and reach their highest potential. Taking care of life here and beyond. From blockages in the material world to obstacles in the misalignment from the source energy in the spiritual realm. There’s a solution for everything if we learn to focus on it’s solution. Self realization and self healing ultimately helps the individuals to grow their own self and others.
VIMOKSH courses, analysis, healings and teachings are based on research and personal experience of many people. This program aids in achieving happiness, productivity, creativity, focus, and effective decision-making.
After participating in these programs, you’ll witness changes in yourself: more positive thinking, better behavior, dedicated work, and impressive results. This doesn’t just affect individuals but also improves society’s culture and the overall vibration.
Our courses, books, healing sessions, blogs, articles, and workshops are created with the goal of boosting your happiness, well-being, and success, all while cultivating lively and thriving environments.
