Working Toward Oneness: Meditation

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inHealth & Well-Being, Psychological HealthTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Attention to the present moment can be most gratifying

After a 14-year hiatus, I have reestablished a daily meditation practice.  It  is part of a deep Ayurvedic cleanse I’m doing, and its purpose is to release stored emotions. After only 3 weeks, I’m already experiencing positive results; I no longer feel the stress of getting things done at a hurried pace.  My daily mode of living had become a super-stressful rush, rush, rush to do everything.  I’m not sure why.  But what a relief to leave the race behind!

Looking through past posts, I see that I’ve touched on meditation in 10 of them.  In 5 Little Known Secrets for Looking & Feeling Younger, I reference the work of Dr. Deepak Chopra, who discusses the hormone DHEA. He says this chemical that improves muscle & bone strength and reduces body fat & skin atrophy is often depleted over a lifetime, but can be found in elevated levels in meditators of all ages.  In Awaken Your Healer Within, I shared Dr. Roger Jahnke’s explanation that the lowered brain activity and reduced blood pressure resulting from meditation can help neutralize the effects of stress on the body and heal disease.  And in Mindfulness: What’s In It for Me?, I wrote that over 200 studies show mindfulness practices including meditation are effective at boosting immune function, decreasing chronic pain, helping with depression, improving relationships, and even ameliorating addictive behaviors. I’ve long known how beneficial the practice is.  I’m not sure why it took me such a long time to get back into it.

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years, and is referenced in texts across philosophical and religious traditions.  I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but practices that are around for such prolonged periods survive because they are effective.  In fact, Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary, integrative neurologist and author of The Prime: Prepare and Repair Your Body for Spontaneous Weight Loss, describes meditation as a daily brain detox, and states that it is indisputably a beneficial practice which will change your life.

I put a lot of pressure on myself to understand & do things correctly, so I was grateful to find the YouTube video Debunking the 5 Most Common Meditation Myths.  In it, I learned that the wondering of the mind does not take away from the benefits of the practice; it may in fact help.  I do hope you’ll check out the clip if you’re feeling either discouraged in your practice, or set on your inability to meditate because your mind is too active.

Maybe you’ve never tried a meditation practice, or it’s been a long time since your last attempt.  In this Healthline article, 9 types of meditation are listed, along with descriptions of each.  Maybe you can find one that’s a good fit for you.  Also, YouTube has plenty of guided meditations, many of them less than 5 minutes long.

I’m excited to be experiencing the profound benefits of my new meditation practice.  Will I continue after the cleanse is complete?  Absolutely.  With all its physical, mental, and emotional benefits, I can hardly wait to see the next positive change!

Blessings for Stillness,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

57 thoughts on “Working Toward Oneness: Meditation”

  2. “Students achieving Oneness will move on to Twoness.”

    – Woody Allen

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  4. Thanks, Lisa, for this timely piece. (I must get in touch). Meditation is something I have tried but have not stuck with it. I need to include it in my routine. Have a lovely weekend 🌹🙏

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    1. Hi, Ashley! I’d love to hear news from you & your beloved! Getting from “needing” to do something to actually doing it can seem like a huge step, right? The need to’s are piling up on my end as I prepare to go away in a few weeks. Wishing you both a weekend of joy as well! 🌞

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  8. An excellent post, Lisa. Meditation is a transformational practice. I agree that the wandering mind is a perfect fit for meditation. It might not seem so at first, however, as awareness deepens we can watch the mind slow. Happy weekend, my friend! 🌻

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  10. Wonderful post Lisa, in fact you’ve inspired me to be more active in my meditation practice. I’ve dabbled over the years and sometime back undertook a 90 day straight meditation challenge. I didn’t miss a day and thought it would become a lifetime habit, but apparently some older habits of slackness are even harder to break! Will check out some of your links. Thanks again and good on you. 🙏

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  12. Congratulations in getting back to something you enjoy ..and the health benefits as well. Not one to “actively” meditate, but I do tell everyone I get hours and hours of meditation-like benefits on my long runs – rather than sitting, my legs are going while my mind occupies itself on other things ha.

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  13. Hey Lisa,

    Great data backing up the importance of meditation giving reference to reliable sources that help shed light on the gifts it gives. Happy you are back on the path of sitting with your healthful lifestyle.

    Hugs and love my friend,
    Xo 💗

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  14. Terrific timing Lisa. I just started back on my studio yoga practice and a 10 minute meditation after each session would be a nice supplement here. There is certainly no shortage of videos onto subject.

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  16. Really nice account very inspiring. Interesting about the hormones angle. I have been serious doing meditation a few days a week for six months now. I was hit with the cold weather and had to change my meditation spot to somewhere warmer, haven’t got used to it yet. I keep a journal and I think in some way it helps the process. https://meditation-diary.vmed.blog

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  18. Pingback: Working Toward Oneness: Meditation – rosdahal

  19. Beautiful post thank you for your insight on your journey back into meditation, I love meditation ever since I started back in 2015 it’s been something that just allows human existence to just be a little bit easier much love all 🙏🏽

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  20. Hi Lisa, it sounds like you’ve had such a positive experience re-starting your meditation practice! I’m so glad to hear that you’re already experiencing benefits after only 3 weeks. It’s amazing how a daily practice can have such a profound impact on our lives. Your writing is so inspiring, and I love that you shared all of the information from the studies and experts. I think the part about debunking the 5 most common meditation myths is particularly helpful for those who might be discouraged or intimidated by the idea of meditation. I’ll definitely check out the Healthline article and YouTube videos to find a type of meditation that works for me. Thank you for sharing your journey with us and for reminding us of the importance of stillness and mindfulness. Wishing you continued blessings and positive change!

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  21. Pingback: 5 Ways to Combat Stress - Weird & Liberated

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