12 Ideas for How and Why You Should Practice Meditation and Mindfulness – GWC Mag

Meditation and mindfulness are practices that some folk believe to be the exclusive property of yogis and monks! But, no! Partaking in some simple medication and mindfulness exercises can be done easily and simply by anyone.

It doesn’t even have to take up a huge part of your day if you feel you can’t commit to it due to time constraints. Practice a little meditation before you go to sleep at night, on the bus or train on your way to work, or even while you are waiting for that loaf to finish baking in the oven.

Grabbing a few moments of meditation every day can provide immeasurable benefits to your mental and physical health and well-being.

To learn more about meditation and mindfulness and their benefits, take a look at this compilation of OGP articles that will help you on your way to a possibly more chilled existence!

1. Morning Meditation

Morning meditation can be a rather blasé part of our routine, like a shower or breakfast or brushing our teeth. Still, it can truly enhance our experience of daily life. It can improve our overall outlook. It can reset our minds to take each day on anew. It can provide that moment we all need to catch our breath. And, more to the point, we can all make that happen right at home, right in the bedroom, without buying any equipment or taking any classes. Learn  How Morning Meditation Makes You More Melodious & How to Do It Daily.

2. 10 Steps

Meditation is nothing new; in fact, it’s been done for thousands of years. However, it seems to have received a surge of new interest in the last few years from the general public. If it is something you’re new to, it may seem a little anxiety-inducing at first. What do I do? Where do I sit? What do I think about? How can anyone stay still for that long? To answer these nagging questions, check out How To Meditate in 10 Relaxing Steps.

3. Meditation and Sustainability

Trying to live in a sustainable and caring way is not always easy. Caring about people and the environment can feel like carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, with an awful lot of responsibility falling on you. Carefully considering the impact of your behavior, working hard to research and volunteer, and leading an alternative lifestyle takes energy and dedication. Luckily, when motivation is hard to find, meditation can help you live a sustainable life. Check out these 5 Ways Meditation Can Help You Live a More Sustainable Life.

4. Meditation and Brain Power

The many benefits of meditation are nothing new, and meditation as a health practice dates back thousands of years. Regular meditators can vouch for it as a fantastic natural antidote for stress, for creating mental and emotional peace, patience, creativity, improving focus and mood, and contributing to overall wellness. Read on to answer the question Can Meditation Improve Your Brain? Harvard Says So!

5. Meditation not Medication

Meditation requires no tools, no teacher, no pills, no money. All one needs is a quiet room and a few minutes, and it may surprise you that meditation may be just as effective as medication. As Forbes reports on one study making this assertion, published in the Journal of American Medication Association Internal Medicine, “Mindfulness meditation may not cure all, the research found, but when it comes to the treatment of depression, anxiety, and pain, the practice may be just as effective as medication.” Find out more as to Why Meditation (Not Medication) Is the Key to a Happier You.

6. Mindfulness

According to Psychology Today, “Mindfulness is an incredible tool to help people understand, tolerate, and deal with their emotions in healthy ways. It helps us to alter our habitual responses by taking pause and choosing how we act.” Whenever you feel the cycle of negative emotions begin to take over your well-being, try some of these methods to disrupt that cycle and bring mindfulness into your daily life. Have a look at these 10 Simple Ways to Bring Mindfulness into Your Life Now.

7. Mindfulness and Children

According to CNN, a new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that children in elementary school who took mindfulness training twice a week for two years slept an extra 74 minutes each night, on average. This extra sleep included 24 minutes of extra rapid eye movement (REM), an important sleep stage when memories are merged and saved. “Rapid eye movement is a very important phase of sleep for neuronal development and for the development of the cognitive and emotional function,” said Ruth O’Hara, professor in the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Stanford University. Learn more about how and why Children Sleep More with Mindfulness Training

8. Mindful Decluttering

Home is meant to provide respite from this. It’s a place to unwind and feel at ease, a haven within which we can turn down the volume on all those window taps. But, too often our sanctuaries are subverted with the excesses of modern life. Our work follows us home. We fill our leisure time with gadgetry rather than growth. We keep up with the Joneses. We turn on the TV just for the noise. With so much stuff around us, we fail to be mindful. Find out how Decluttering Your Home Can Help You Practice Mindfulness.

9. Serenity, Calm and Peace

While medications and pills offer solutions for some, many prefer to explore natural and drug-free techniques to cultivate inner peace. This article provides ten specific examples of how you can achieve serenity and calmness without relying on pharmaceutical interventions. By incorporating these techniques into your daily routine, you can enhance your mental and emotional wellness. Take a look at these 10 Natural Ways to Achieve Serenity and Calmness: Drug-Free Techniques for Inner Peace.

10. Meditation Add Years

Stress is a part of modern life, but managing it effectively can significantly impact health and longevity. Activities like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can help keep stress at bay and promote mental well-being. Learn more about mindfulness and several other healthful habits you can adopt with these 8 Healthy Habits That Could Add Up to 24 Years of Life.

11. Japanese Wellness

A balanced, healthy lifestyle has been deeply integrated into the culture in Japan. For centuries, the Japanese have been cultivating mindfulness and self-care in their everyday activities, which can ultimately be life-changing. From cooking and bathing to drinking tea and arranging flowers, Japanese culture has perfected the art of turning everyday life into a meditation practice that promotes health and happiness. Here are 6 Traditional Japanese Wellness Rituals to Add to Your Routine.

12. Relax and Unwind

In our modern-day world, with so much stimulus and activity, it’s no wonder why 77 percent of Americans claim to experience symptoms related to stress, and 33 percent of Americans feel they have extreme stress. Life can sometimes feel like a balancing act if you’re constantly trying to juggle a heaping to-do list. As important as it is to be productive, too much on your plate can sometimes amp up your stress to unbearable levels. Thankfully, there are calming activities you can incorporate into your daily life that will create a comforting sense of calm. Take a look at these 6 Calming Activities That Can Help You Relax and Unwind.

These articles are for information purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Check with a medical professional before using any of these techniques to treat serious conditions. 

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