We live in a world that is always vying for your attention.
At every street corner, on every app, and on every device, are bright, flashy advertisements that only want one thing—your attention.
As a result, in the distracted world we live in, people are often looking for a peaceful escape.
Many find this escape through meditation.
Despite its perceived complexity and association with foreign tradition, meditation is quite simple; it can be defined as 'focusing one's mind for a period of time [...] as a method of relaxation'.
Put simply, it allows you to take a pause, refocus, and find peace and calm in the present moment.
The earliest records of meditation come from ancient Hindu and Buddhist texts, and the practice was popularised in the modern day as mindfulness meditation by meditation coaches from East Asia, and pioneered into meditation apps, such as Headspace or Medito, by various innovators.
Anyone can meditate—there are multiple different ways to meditate, but the main method practiced is simply sitting in a comfortable position and trying to focus on the breath.
You can try a form of mindfulness meditation now—close your eyes, sit still, and take 5 deep breaths through the nose, paying attention to your breath and acknowledging your thoughts without judgement.
There are also other common methods of meditation, such as walking meditation, sound meditation, or body scan meditation.
Outside of helping you to be calm and relaxed, meditation has a number of different benefits.
It reduces stress, improves your focus, allows you more control over your emotions, and even improves your sleep.
It can help you stay in the present moment during a conversation and not zone out.
Some people even report transcendent experiences—a feeling of floating and weightlessness is often reported as a side effect of meditation.
Overall, meditation can help you stay calm and focused in a distracted world, and feel more balanced and at peace every day.
Incorporating even just a few minutes of meditation into your daily routine can make a big difference in your life—it'll improve your life, and the lives of others around you too.
Take a moment out of your day today to start meditating, and turn it into a daily habit—you never know what benefits it could bring into your life.
