Meditation may seem like a very soft, unimportant, and harmful act to some people. They find it very hard to sit still or lie down in their quiet space and just breathe. However, the people that try it often find it to be a very fulfilling and eye-opening experience. The act of meditation is very relaxing because you have to focus on your breathing and your physical presence. It allows you to confront your anxieties of day-to-day life and strives to alleviate the unnecessary stress that we carry on our shoulders. Even when you sit down with yourself for only 15 minutes, you have nothing but your thoughts and your ability to maintain a sense of inner peace. The simple act helps you evaluate your daily life choices, thoughts that race through your head all the time, and the undying sense of anxiety. The reward of meditation is that it creates a calm, relaxed environment in which you feel like you’re on the edge of sleeping and in a deep trance. You tend to learn and train your mind to push out nonsense problems and realize how futile and irrational some of them are.

Most teachers and gurus of meditation claim that meditation has many infinite benefits. This includes a complete restructuring of the brain! Meditation makes the brain stronger, more durable and withstanding as well as more patient, compassionate and creative. A Harvard Ph.D. graduate and a friend of the Dalai Lama, Richard Davidson, is one of the first people to ever research the benefits of meditation on the brain. In 2004, he did a study which discovered that Buddhist monks show greatly different brainwaves during meditation than normal people. In some studies, research has shown that meditation can help improve our ability to maintain and regulate healthy emotions in the brain. Also, there are multiple health benefits related to meditation, such as strengthened cardiovascular and immune systems, and it slows down the aging process. It is also very resourceful for people of all ages because it helps lower blood pressure, sleep apnea, headaches, skin disorders, respiratory problems, and mild depression or premenstrual syndrome.

Furthermore, meditation is helpful for improving concentration and focus on day-to-day life and our tasks, and it increases self-awareness and promotes a healthier lifestyle. Many people claim that after doing meditation, they feel like they want to eat more fresh foods and nearly cut out all alcohol. Most importantly, meditation puts you on the fast track to being happy. It brings up your spirits and make life a little more lighter and brighter! You feel brighter and more optimistic about your health and future!