Meditation is a practice in which we train our minds to induce a mode of consciousness, either to realize some benefit or as an end in itself. The word meditation carries different meanings in different contexts. This is what makes meditation so powerful - you have to find what works and applies to you. The benefits of meditation have been realized for centuries which is why it is still being practiced today.

Here are 5 ways that meditation can positively impact your overall health and wellbeing:

By making time to relax your mind and body on a regular basis, this creates an internal resistance to viruses. Relaxation has been practiced by Buddhist Monks for centuries as a natural modality of healing.

Meditation is a practice in which we focus our attention and are aware of when it drifts, so this actually improves our focus when we are not meditating, as well. Through regular practice, this creates a lasting effect in our day-to-day lives.

The more we medtiate, the less anxiety we have, and it’s because we’re actually loosening the connections of particular neural pathways. For example, when you experience pain, rather than becoming anxious and assuming it means something is wrong with you, you can watch the pain rise and fall without becoming ensnared in a story about what it might mean.

Through regular practice, meditation can help you achieve emotional balance which means to be free of all the neurotic behaviour that results from unhealthy emotional states. Freedom is often achieved because you can clean your consciousness from the torture and trauma of the ego.

Through the regular practice of meditation, you are giving your mind a break from constant distractions, allowing for a new perspective on stressful or difficult situations.

Meditation was once described to us as Food for the spirit: any kind of food is better than nothing at all. Meditation can be practiced in a yoga studio, painting a canvas outdoors, or even sitting quietly in a cathedral to soak in its beauty and holiness. There is no “best way” to meditate, as long as you find what resonates for you, and consistently practice to do so.