Meditation has been steadily increasing in popularity over the last few decades, and what once used to be seen as an esoteric spiritual practice is now widely recognised as having significant benefits for its practitioners. A simple google search will offer up a laundry list of magical properties, but quite a few of them now have the medical and scientific research to back it up, as will be discussed below. The science aside for a moment, I have found meditation to have a particular kind of magic, and that that magic is self-generated and accessible anywhere and without any accessories, made it even more valuable to me. Of course, like anything worth having, it takes time and work. So what is that magic? For me it is firstly, the capacity to alter my state, and secondly, to disentangle thoughts and create space in my mind to thoroughly interrogate ideas or feelings. As a person who is often captain of Team Overthinker, meditation becomes a place I can slow it all down and genuinely turn over whatever the object of my focus is in a way that feels more controlled and methodical.
One of the scientifically proven benefits that I think is most significant as well as being widely celebrated is that of increased neural plasticity.1 Neural plasticity is the capacity to change our brain structure and organisation through the creation of new neural pathways. This means a real, detectable shift in the brain towards a desired outcome, which can result in behavioural adaptations as well as improved mental health, and in practice, this means we can shape our brains towards behavioural patterns we want to inhabit in our daily lives. We can harness our brains to more readily see the beauty of this world, or practice effortless gratitude, or even (the holy grail) of quietening the inner critic. Both my own experience and the science2 also suggest that it can be a valuable tool in dealing with substance use disorders because meditation promotes executive functioning and cognitive control over automatic habits.
In my practice as a meditation teacher, I have watched people journey through the discovery of their own practice from the initial discomfort or difficulty, to the awareness of its power to help shape their desired outcomes. I’ve worked with recovering alcoholics who have spent decades drowning the noise, to learn new ways of reaching towards that quiet they so desperately crave. I’ve also worked with artists experiencing difficulty accessing their creative landscapes and seen the transformation back into a healthy relationship with their craft. Studies have also shown that meditation and mindfulness not only reduces stress, but also that it can be helpful in dealing with chronic pain.3 This is another area that I have experienced incredible results in my work and though it may come easier for some than others, it has consistently had some positive effect.
So if you have been thinking about it but never taken the step, maybe this is your sign to do so. The benefits mentioned above are just a small sampling of the possibilities, but aim to give you a view of the breadth of targets. When starting a meditation practice the main things to remember are not to judge your experience, as some days will be easier than others. Start small if you are doing in on your own, maybe just five minutes, or even better, find someone who can guide you through the journey until you feel comfortable going it alone. Guided meditation is a great way become familiar with different techniques and figure out what is most effective or pleasurable for you. Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn a professor of medicine and early researcher on meditation created a list of attitudes towards mindfulness and they are a great way not only to start, but to keep coming back to.4
- Beginners Mind: this is the idea of approaching the moment in a fresh almost childlike way. Not burdened by expectation or past experience, but with a complete openness to whatever the experience may be
- Non- Judging: does what it says on the tin. Let whatever happens, happen. There is no right or wrong. Expect that some days will be harder than others.
- Acceptance: Try to accept whatever the experience is. It goes hand in hand with non-judging.
- Letting go: You see the theme. Try not to attach or hold on. Perhaps imagine a river, whether upstream or downstream, its all moving anyway.
- Trust: Trust and be trustworthy. Trust the process and yourself, its the only way to reap the larger benefits of this practice and it filters out into all the aspects of your life. Some of us have to learn how to listen to our intuition so that we can trust it. If that feels out of touch, this may be a path back to it.
- Patience: Does this really need explaining? Meditation WILL teach you patience if you decide you really want to learn it. Patience with yourself, patience with the world around you and patience with the practice.
- Non-Striving: Think about really really trying to fall asleep and how that can make falling asleep much more difficult. Its that same kind of thing.