I often get asked the question, ‘What are the benefits of meditating?’ and while I have a long list of benefits I can share, it doesn’t measure up to real-life experiences like this one I’d like to share.
Last week I led a meditation on Zoom and after, one of the participants shared how she felt so much more connected to herself, even though there were noises and distractions around her.
As she was sharing this with us her dog ran past the screen and was barking, and you could hear other noises in the background. All this chaos around her and yet she had a big smile on her face while laughing and sharing how connected she felt to herself.
I loved this visual and this share. It made me smile and think, this is why I meditate.
It’s one of many benefits – and it’s a big one.
Life is busy, noisy. There are interruptions. Things don’t always go as planned. There are highs and lows.
True freedom is when we are surrounded by noise or chaos and we are not impacted by it.
Or if we notice we are getting caught up in it we can make a choice to step back, observe our reaction and make a choice to not engage with it. To turn inward instead.
It means we are living in the world, but not of the world.
When I think of this, I think of a beautiful tree with roots that go deep into the ground. When a storm comes the branches sway, leaves or branches may fall to the ground, and through it all the tree is firmly planted in the ground.
This is what meditation gives me.
I feel grounded, safe, capable, and able to focus on what’s most important, and that’s my inner peace.
If we’re constantly relying on perfect conditions in our life to feel at peace, we are continually setting ourselves up for disappointment.
We can’t control things on the outside. We know that now more than ever.
We can, however, find peace amidst the storm.
It doesn’t mean our life will be filled with unicorns and rainbows 24/7. It does means we are meeting life on life’s terms and are able to go with the flow with more ease.
When we live like this it builds a greater resiliency and self-esteem knowing we have what it takes to get through whatever comes our way.
When we have a consistent meditation practice our meditation is not only when our eyes are closed, our life becomes a meditation. We are present, awake, in the flow throughout the day.
“It’s important that meditation is not seen as something that only happens when you are seated in a quiet place. Otherwise spirituality and our daily life become two separate things. That’s the primary illusion—that there is something called “my spiritual life,” and something called “my daily life.” When we wake up to reality, we find they are all one thing. It’s all one seamless expression of spirit.”
― Adyashanti
Meditation has changed my life beyond belief, and I know it is a tool that we need more than ever to find peace amidst the chaos. To improve our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. And it is in our control.
Knowing this, I feel inspired to offer free meditations for the next few weeks.
Whether you’re new to meditation and are curious to learn more or have an established practice and would like an additional resource to strengthen those tree roots, please join me! Register here.
Take good care,
Diane