{"id":5679,"date":"2021-10-23T18:02:04","date_gmt":"2021-10-23T18:02:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/?p=5679"},"modified":"2021-10-27T05:57:40","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T05:57:40","slug":"does-meditation-work-for-everyone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomsoup.com\/does-meditation-work-for-everyone\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Meditation Work for Everyone? My Humble Opinion…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Many see meditation as a magic cure-all for stress and anxiety or for decompressing after a long day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But is it really as effective as we believe it to be? And, by extension, does it have a tangible effect on our lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my opinion, meditation works for everyone, but to varying degrees. Whilst everyone would benefit from regular practice, not everyone experiences identical results.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like exercise for the body, some practitioners may derive greater benefits in the form of enhanced performance compared to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But whether you\u2019re training to become a Shaolin monk, or simply seek to improve your general self-awareness, a regular contemplative routine is crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a follow-up to the above statement, everyone should meditate<\/a>. Of course, its effects will be far more beneficial for people in certain mental states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation will be best for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what about people with depression, anxiety or other mental issues? Sure, meditation can help you to become more aware of the root of your pain or intrusive thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, it can\u2019t help on its own. Meditation should always be used alongside other treatments and expert psychological intervention if required. Just as exercising alongside eating well is vital as part of a healthy lifestyle, it\u2019s about balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can largely work out the benefits of meditation from the above comments on who should meditate. To make things clearer, here is a breakdown of the biggest benefits of meditation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stress is quite literally a killer. Significant anecdotal evidence suggests meditation reduces stress, which was actually confirmed in a scientific study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2014 systematic review<\/a> of 47 trials found that meditation programmes helped to reduce levels of stress. Other studies tested the impact of meditation on stress-related conditions such as IBS<\/a>, fibromyalgia<\/a>, and PTSD<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The results suggest meditation can help in these instances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2014 meta-analysis above also concluded that meditation has a moderate impact on anxiety and depression after 8 weeks of a meditation course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation is an introspective practice, meaning you use it to look inside yourself. Taking the time to be alone with your thoughts helps you become more self-aware, and, in time, improve your emotional health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation requires discipline and self-control, as it requires you to sit and cultivate awareness. Over time, this improves attention span<\/a>, allowing you to meditate for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2018 review<\/a> found that a meditation programme improved attention span and memory recall in participants when compared to a control group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve tried meditation and don\u2019t think it\u2019s working, there\u2019s probably a reason. The most common is that few of us have the required attention span, meaning we can\u2019t stay still long enough to feel the benefit or abandon the practice prematurely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meditation is much like anything else: it takes practice<\/a>. What\u2019s more, there are numerous types of meditation that provide different benefits. It might be that a different technique would be more suitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spend some time researching different types of meditation to see if one suits your needs. If you\u2019re struggling to get started, it might help to join a class so you can have specific guidance from a meditation teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenges of meditation often present barriers to continued practice. Either you feel it doesn\u2019t work or you use these challenges as an excuse to not get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, if you\u2019re serious about becoming more mindful<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to overcome these challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s common to not have enough time for anything, let alone meditation. But, this is an easy one to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the beginning, you\u2019ll only need 5 minutes or so, which should be possible for even the busiest of schedules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you begin to see the benefits, change your perception. Include meditation as a part of your core routine, like brushing your teeth or showering. Then, you\u2019ll have to make time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lack of attention manifests as impatience. A common meditation practice is to identify this feeling and then simply observe it during your practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you feel it creeping in, notice the feeling and simply bring your attention back to the present moment. Over time, this will become much easier to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can take a while to start feeling the benefits of meditation. Then, once you notice them, it can be tempting to stop because you\u2019ve reached a certain \u2018result\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, there is no goal with meditation. Instead of psychological trophies to be won, try to view mindfulness practice as an end in itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you get started, use these tips to enter into meditation with the right mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the right level of commitment and practice, meditation can work for everyone. If you\u2019ve tried before and didn\u2019t enjoy it, consider a different style.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWho should meditate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of mindfulness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Lowers stress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Helps with anxiety and depression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Improves emotional health and self-awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Increases attention span<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Meditation not working?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Common challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Lack of time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Impatience<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
3. Stopping too soon<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Advice for the uninitiated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Does meditation work for everyone?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n