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Our lives have become mechanical and there is always a rush to do something. The world is getting faster with the advent of technology and the more it is becoming a part of our lives the more it is causing stress and a sense of hurriedness in us. Our family times are getting destroyed as we are constantly adapting to this change and trying to fasten up and catch up with things around us. We are sleeping late, eating in a disordered fashion, and having an unfavorable lifestyle. The first thing we all do in the morning is to check our news feeds and give responses to the plethora of messages coming on our phones. It gets overwhelming too, doing so many things and living in a world that is far from reality. We are living in the virtual world and are constantly trying to keep up to other’s expectations by looking good and putting more of us in social media. The world is no more what it used to be before. The dynamics seem to have been fully altered.

This change in the way things are progressing is leading to more and more stress especially in youngsters and kids. There is always a need to do more and more on social media and even otherwise. The real meaning of life is getting diminished. At the same time, a lot of us are getting faced with troubled and unexpected situations like Divorce, Single Parenting, Economic downturns, Financial Crisis, Job Losses, and many more such incidences which is leading us to a state of emotional imbalance and distress. At these times, we feel vulnerable and it seems that life is turning around and cornering us to a point where we are left with no choices about how to respond, where to go for support and how to deal with the pain and confusion, what inner resources to draw upon to guide us in extreme pains and discomfort. Such relentless change leads to more anxiety and stress, fragmentation, loneliness, isolation, depression, and stress-related illnesses. This continuous splurge in anxiety is also leading to a massive healthcare industry that at times only masks the real problems of fear, stress, and disorientation. In order to counter the ill effects of such unforeseeable circumstances, we need a regular practice that helps us slow down and experience more positive states of mind and emotions.

Meditation is one such technique to do that. There are different forms of meditation found in all cultures and religions all over the world but the benefits remain the same. Meditation is a practice or a form of exercise to place all your attention in the present moment and increase your awareness. When you pay more attention to a task or a thing, your focus increases leading to more amounts of concentration, and with increased concentration comes more productivity and performance. It is a form of practice that helps us enjoy our lives more moment by moment. It is such a practice which aims at putting all our focus on a particular object like a candle, a word or a phrase, or the breath. You narrow your focus and limit the stimuli bombarding the nervous system.

For centuries meditation had been practiced by monks and mystics who used it to attain high levels of consciousness but today it has become a tool to be accessed by all. Traditionally, meditation comes with a set of beliefs and practices but now researchers have given it such a shape so as to cure a lot of 21st-century illnesses. Their experience says that the more we look inwards, explore our world within, the more we become open to the possibility of having a harmonious and satisfying life.

There are different types of meditation and also various levels that a person crosses depending upon their practice and level of commitment.

Researchers have done their studies and have laid down some benefits of meditation:

Paying full attention in a particular way nurtures greater clarity awareness and acceptance of the present moment.

It helps us enjoy the present moment fully and helps us enjoy those precious and powerful moments which otherwise go waste in fear and anxiety.

Meditation helps us overcome troubled situations smoothly and get unstuck back in touch with our own wisdom and vitality.

Our energies get redirected in a fruitful way leading to greater satisfaction, fulfillment, and perhaps even greater health.

We open up to more possibilities of change without falling prey to our worries and pessimistic view of our past and future.

Therefore, Meditation is a way of conscious living and a more practical way of being truly in touch with our lives at a deeper level and experiencing the joy of it every moment.

About the author

Deepa M Makhija is the founder of POWER WITHIN, LIFE COACHING and EMPOWERMENT. You can check their website for more details – www.power-within.net