Mindfulness Meditation: The Key to Reclaiming your Life

There is no doubt that each of us have experienced that moment: the moment where we stop at the end of a long day, exhausted and overworked, and find ourselves truly unable to recall where our mind was all day. Sure, you might’ve physically been at work, or with your family, but perhaps your mind was a thousand miles away, and you’re just beginning to find your way back. Or perhaps, you find yourself distant daily; your days fly by, leaving you, and any hope of relishing in the moment, in the dust. 

If you recognize yourself in either of these scenarios, or you could just generally use some peace, health, and wellness in your life, then you are one of the many of normal humans who could benefit from adopting mindfulness meditation into your life. In a world where the only constant we have is change, there is nothing more important than taking a few moments to stop and appreciate the moment as it comes. This is precisely what mindfulness meditation strives to achieve; while many believe meditation is using slow breathing to clear your mind, mindfulness meditation focuses on allowing you to focus on your internal and external self, as well as the moment at hand, without judgment or worry. It is appreciating where and who you are at that place in time and allowing yourself to exist fully in that moment. 

The History behind the Practice

The concept of mindfulness meditation is not necessarily a new one. Mindfulness is an essential aspect of Buddhism. In fact, it is the first factor in the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, with “correct” mindfulness taking its place as the seventh element of the Eightfold Path. Just as mindfulness took an integral part of the spiritual depth of Buddhism, it was also an integral part of their day-to-day life, with most striving to achieve personal improvement and avoid disruption from the physical world. Despite the beliefs associated with the origins of mindfulness meditation, implementing the practice outside of one’s spiritual beliefs brings an abundance of benefits. 

Why Practice Mindfulness Meditation?

The positive effects of such implementation may be shown in an array of ways, with one of the most profound being its potential as a possible avenue to stress reduction. Mindfulness meditation allows the individual to eliminate distractions and focus on the moment as it comes instead of focusing on future or past scenarios, which can eliminate a great deal of stress and help the individual cope with issues they may be dealing with without being overwhelmed. Aside from stress reduction, mindfulness meditation may assist in managing depression, with the rate of relapse of depression being reduced by up to 44%- similar to rates reported by users of anti-depressants. 

Aside from mindfulness and its effects on mental health, a sure connection between the former and physical health may also be noted. One important aspect of this would be the practice of mindful eating. If one takes the time to fully absorb their bodily cues, such as cravings, hunger, and satiety cues, they will be able to more easily take in foods they enjoy without over-indulging or under-indulging, thus allowing them to implement more healthy eating behaviors and manage their weight and nutrition. Along with nutrition management comes another important aspect of bodily management and control: the control of pain and illness. The MAYO clinic found significant correlation between mindfulness meditation and pain reduction, saying that fifty percent of participants in the study felt their pain reduced by fifty percent or more when engaging in mindfulness meditation, with participants experiencing pain resulting from a variety of issues, including cancer, chronic migraines, back pain, etc. 

It is also important to mention the potential benefits this implementation could have neurologically. Recent research has suggested that mindfulness meditation can combat the shrinking of the grey matter of the prefrontal cortex, which is the result of aging and can result in memory loss and a decrease in cognitive functioning. By practicing mindfulness meditation, one can build the volume of grey matter integral regions of the brain and work against the effects of aging. In addition to combatting aging, this practice might also open the door to strengthening immunity. Researchers have found evidence that practicing mindfulness meditation could lead to an increase in immune cells, due to meditation stimulating the part of the brain controlling immune functions. An increase in immune functionality due to 10-30 minutes of daily mindfulness meditation could help the body defend itself against a variety of illnesses and generally benefit one’s health and wellness. 

How to Start

To some, the concept of implementing this exercise into everyday life might sound time-consuming or even daunting, but the benefits are clear and difficult to ignore. A simple way to begin is just to take ten minutes of your day to sit in mindfulness; close your eyes and allow yourself to focus on breathing deeply. The purpose of this is not to control your breath, but rather to listen to the rhythm of your natural breathing and the demands of your body. If the mind begins to wander, as it tends to do, focus back in on your breathing and the moment at hand. With more and more practice, you will find that the task of focusing on the present moment and tuning out distractions comes more and more naturally, allowing you to truly experience the many ways mindfulness meditation can improve your life.

While we are still learning and growing in our knowledge of how mindfulness meditation works, it is remarkably difficult to dispute the ways it can increase one’s quality of life. As discussed, there are plenty of reasons as to why it’s been around for so many years, and why so many people still rely on it to help them mentally, physically, and spiritually. Whether it be increasing immune function, helping manage healthy eating habits and pain, decreasing stress and combatting depression, or just generally helping you relax and appreciate the moment, there is truly no end to the ways that mindfulness meditation can help you live your life to the fullest.