Spirituality

Meditation Can Be Good for Your Health

If the word “meditation” makes you envision some lithe young person dressed in a fashionable leotard, sitting in a pretzel-like twist atop a bamboo mat for hours on end, you need to think again.

Although nearly every culture recognizes some form of meditation as a part of various religious practices, there are also millions of non-religious people who meditate every day, purely for the physical and emotional payoff they receive. And those benefits are far from speculative—reputable scientific studies have proven that the regular practice of meditation can be a cost-free and drug-free way to lower your heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, and even help alleviate chronic pain.

There are tons of helpful books, websites, and in-person classes aimed at everyone from beginners to master-level meditators, but you can also start on your own with no equipment or special training at all. Here’s the process in a nutshell, as described by the authors of the helpful all-around guidebook Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging:

“Two elements are necessary for meditating: (1) something to focus on, such as your breath or the repetition of a word, thought, sound, or prayer, and (2) an ability to bring yourself gently back to your focus when other thoughts intrude, which they definitely will.”

“Want to try it? Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Get into a comfortable chair. Sit on a chair or a cushion on the floor. You can even lie on your back. But don’t get too comfortable, because you don’t want to fall asleep. Decide how long you want to meditate and stick with the time, even if you feel bored or restless. You can start with 5 or 10 minutes. Keep a clock or watch nearby and peek at it from time to time. Don’t set an alarm, because the sound would be jarring.”

“Pick a focus. It can be your breathing, or you can choose a prayer, word, or phrase to repeat over and over. Or you can count to four over and over, timing the count to your breathing (two counts for each in breath, two counts for each out breath). Whatever you choose, be prepared to stick with it for several weeks before trying something else.”

“The hard part about meditation is that it takes dedication and practice. Do it every day, even if only for 5 minutes. Do it even if it feels like you’re wasting your time. Don’t worry if you can’t calm your mind. You’re not doing it wrong. Just keep coming back to your focus every time your mind wanders.”

“Try to be patient and don’t expect dramatic results overnight. If you stick with it, you’re likely to discover the ability to calm yourself in stressful situations. You may be better able to brush off life’s little annoyances, such as waiting in long lines. Eventually, your practice may result in health improvements such as lower blood pressure.”

Author Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., author of the book Full Catastrophe Living and other works, advises beginning meditators not to sell themselves short: “Thinking you’re unable to meditate is a little like thinking you’re unable to breathe. Pretty much anybody can breathe easily. And under the right circumstances, pretty much anybody can concentrate and relax.”

And what if meditation begins to work so well for you that you decide to invest in a pair of leotards and a good comfy floor mat? Hey, that’s your own business.