Exercises Weight loss meditation

The Benefits of Meditation

Did you know that the mind and the body are connected at a fundamental level? If the mind is anxious or depressed for a given amount of time the effects will be seen in the body. And the reverse is also true. If the body is sick or strained the mind can also be affected. 

When you operate from a peaceful healthy mind your entire perception of the world changes. You make informed decisions from an enlightened perspective and can recognize the good in your life and the good you bring to those around you. Meditation is the path to this place of peace and wisdom. 

Best of all it I something we can all do, a natural function of the mind with incredible benefits. All you need to do is try it out.

How the Mind and Body Work Together

Of course, the mind is not the body and the body is very different from the mind. But they are certainly connected. We are fully aware of how important it is to address the needs of the body if we are to look and feel our best. But it is essential that the mind also receives this attention. 

Through meditation, health is improved as the mind is allowed to release negativity and whatever is no longer useful, and this promotes a more balanced and uncontaminated frame of mind. A clearer mind is less affected by stress, anxiety and confusion and this leads to making fewer mistakes by making very sharp decisions. 

When we make better decisions for the right reasons, we live with fewer regrets and this has a positive impact on our sense of well-being. 

Well-being is a natural state of mind and body, but it can be greatly affected by the way we perceive the world. When the mind is clouded with distraction, this natural state of mind becomes affected and lost in confusion. This is completely normal, but it is necessary to do the work of uncovering this natural state of mind and returning to the goodness that is already present. 

This is accomplished through meditation. Meditation allows the mind the space and time to recognize the knowledge it has at its disposal. As the conditions of the mind are so improved, meditation begins to improve the conditions of the body as well. 

What is the mind? The mind is that thing that knows things. That is how the mind has been defined scientifically and philosophically: something that can know another thing. But all this knowledge is not so easy if the mind is distracted. When the mind is processing multiple lines of thoughts and conflicting emotions it can become frustrated, lost and incapable of focus. Meditation allows the mind to take a step back from this mental boggle and focus on a single thing at a time. This allows the mind to become relaxed and at peace. 

Importance of the Mind

Everything we do, including our thoughts, speech and actions, will bring harm or benefit to ourselves and those around us. But thoughts are by far the most important of the three. If the thoughts are clean and pure the actions and words will follow. How can the quality of thought be improved, by improving the quality of the mind? This is done through meditation which provides tranquility and clarity to the mind. Meditation will make the mind more aware of the small problems that arise so that it won’t be as affected by them or react negatively to them. 

There will always be suffering and unpleasant feelings in life, but even the worst of disasters can be survived and much of this involves keeping a calm and workable mind. A disturbed mind can make a small problem seem much larger than it really is. At the beginning, we are merely uncomfortable with something. But the mind can begin to interpret these benign discomforts as something more serious. Seeing a situation as bore threatening or serious than it really is can hamper the smooth mental process and affect our discernment.

Keeping existing problems from getting worse is a major benefit in itself, but this is not usually what happens. Through maintaining the mind with meditation, we improve its resilience and protect it from mistreatment. This also works to safeguard our words and actions. Through improved awareness, we are less likely to say or do things we may regret later. This is how we create a position where we can benefit ourselves and others. 

Motivation to Meditate

One good motivator for beginning your meditation practice is considering how contagious negative emotions and dissatisfaction can be. They are caustic and toxic by their very nature. On the flip side, good intentions and positive feelings are just as contagious. Small gestures of kindness have long-reaching effects. A warm smile from a caring friend will almost always make a connection and cause a positive reaction. 

Being a benefit to ourselves and others begins with good intentions and proper care of the mind. This is the path of meditation.

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