Meditation practice is everything that leads up to the various deep states of Meditative Absorption or simply Meditation (Dhyana) in its true sense. Many people don’t know, that proper Meditation is an incredibly deep state. Therefore, if you want to know more about it, I highly recommend reading the book “Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond” by Ajahn Brahm. In this article I am merely talking about the benefits of the various practices that result in such deep states. At this point working on the causes of them seems to be more valuable than speculating about the results. Here are the benefits:
1 Clarity and Calmness
The clarity that we develop when we do our Meditation practice is something that is hard to imagine or put in words. Once the core of your mind becomes more calm, it will condition your body and various facets of mental activity differently. The body becomes more comfortable and healthy as a response. You will start to make better decisions and orient yourself in ways that are more helpful altogether. Besides, it feels wonderful!
2 Better Management of Mind & Emotions
Most people are completely unaware of their emotions. To them it often feels as if the emotions were an external force attacking them. Consequently they often feel powerless and don’t know what to do in the face of overwhelming internal storms. Meditation practice will increase your awareness to such an extent, that you can detach from your emotional being and see it for what it is. This will give you the option of experiencing emotions from a safe perspective. It’s like watching a movie (thus I sometimes call it “headflix”).
3 Less Reactivity
If you are able to watch something and see it for what it is, you learn to stay cool. Some people who watch movies are consumed to the point that they cry, scream and tense up in their seats. Once they know that it’s just a movie (or just a dream), they can relax again. The same is true for those who have learned to detach from the mind. They are able to remain calm and at ease before they can choose a skillful response. With meditation practice you learn to pause before you react.
4 Better Health & Vitality
As we know from a lot of modern research, Meditation is also great for your body. The studies are mainly about stress and stress-management. I can only confirm the positive results that come with proper regular practice. The more calm your mind becomes, the better you feel. The better you feel, the more your body “lights up” for lack of a better word. It’s often as if every single cell is charged with massive amounts of vitality and comfort when you go deeper. In my life I had two major surgeries. One on the spine and one on my heart. I am sure that I would have to suffer a lot if it wasn’t for my regular meditation practice that keeps me comfy and healthy.
5 Happiness, Rapture, Bliss
I often say that people who have never developed and trained their mind to a deeper extent, don’t know what real happiness is. They may know various pleasures, of course, but most are far from experiencing the higher states of rapture and bliss. These states are a result of specific training – such as meditation. Happiness is by no means an accidental occurrence. It has it’s own causes and all of us can cultivate them. Few know that the direct cause of otherworldly bliss is simply inner stillness. I see the practice of Meditation as a gateway through which everyone can access what they want most – true happiness and freedom from suffering.
If you would like to learn more about the scientifically proven benefits of Meditation practice, have a look at this interesting article about the benefits of meditation for seniors. It actually covers a whole range of information that’s not only relevant to the elderly, but very important to the younger generation as well. Studying and investigating scientifically proven material that confirms the usefulness of mindfulness and meditation practice in daily life can help with building motivation and faith. That way, our studies act as a solid support for the practice.
