Top 10 Reasons to Meditate

Why do people meditate?

Answers to that question are as varied as meditation styles are. In almost 20 years of teaching meditation to beginners, ranging from Manhattan professionals to prisoners at a correctional facility, I’ve collected a few reasons. They are:

10. You better remember why you walked into a room—OK, maybe this more applies to Baby Boomers than anyone else. But meditation does increase focus and concentration for anyone.

9. The light changed at the crosswalk and aren’t left behind, lost in thought—Now this happens to anyone, regardless of age. Getting caught up in worry reminds me a dog gnawing on a bone, only they seem to have more fun.

8. You stop the nervous foot tapping thing—Instead of nervously tapping your foot, you breathe instead. It’s more subtle, and not annoying (unless you’re breathing really, really loudly).

7. You smile more and grind your teeth less—One of the meditation techniques I teach involves a BIG GRIN at the end of the technique. People hate and love it.

6. You have the feeling you do after an hour of yoga, but without the exercise—Don’t get me wrong, I’m a yogini too and nothing takes the place of a yoga class. But there’s no reason to think the yoga studio is the only place to have that cleared out feeling.

5. Your obnoxious uncle/aunt/cousin doesn’t bother you as much—Though remember, if you think you’re enlightened, spend time with your family and you’ll know for sure.

4. You’re so chilled, people ask if you’ve stopped drinking coffee—Definitely, calmness comes with watching your mind through meditation and its twin, mindfulness.

3. Your intuition becomes your secret advisor—Amazing, we have this brilliant compass instead of us that can guide us at every turn. Who knew? The more you meditate the more intuitive you become because the doubting thoughts are turned down.

2. You have moments of not thinking, and feeling brilliantly alive—Westerners aren’t raised to do, not be, so meditation is counter-intuitive. But we need the clearing swish of meditation to re-set. The most creative ideas, for me, come after a meditation session.

1. Your heart heals, and holds more love—How many times have you been heart broken? If you are alive to be reading this, it’s probably more than you care to remember. Meditation, especially on the heart center, can heal the heart, allowing you to accept and receive love more fully. There are also forgiveness techniques, focusing on forgiving ourselves first, to aid in our healing process.

A final thought: meditation is like a shower for the mind. You wouldn’t go days and days without showering would you? Of course not!

Meditation. Don’t leave the house without having done it.

For more details how to begin a meditation practice in 2010, please see www.itseasytomeditate.com

VividLife.me Contributor

Marina Spence founded The Pink Edge (www.pinkedge.com) in 2007 to help women change their work or their attitude toward work.

Her book, Make Every Day a Friday! The Joy of Connecting Who You Are With What You Do (Morgan-James, February, 2009) will help you to successfully navigate the world of career and purpose, and leave you with solutions, practical actions, and spiritual insights. Road tested during Marina’s years in the aggressive, fast-paced atmosphere of Wall Street, the book reveals the Stress-Free Career Change System. The system helps women learn what it is they love, while loving what it is they do.