Meditation is a great way to relax, de-stress and increase focus, but the true power of meditation comes when we can apply this technique to our day to day life.
Many people think of meditation as being something practiced within a Buddhist monastery, however meditation can be practiced by anyone, even in front of their computer.
Why is meditation beneficial to us? It has several benefits including:
Increased focus.
Improved ability to deal with stress.
Increased productivity.
A greater sense of peace.
Increased happiness.
Decreased depression.
It also helps us achieve our personal goals faster.
To become a master at meditation, we need to start practicing it daily. There are three steps we need to go through to cultivate mindfulness and inner peace.
Step 1: Awareness
Awareness is the first step in the process of meditation. This is where we become aware of our current thoughts and emotions. We don't judge our thoughts and emotions, just observe them as they come and go. As we practice awareness, our thoughts and emotions calm down and eventually stop completely.
Step 2: Introspection
Next, we look inward. During this step, we learn how our thoughts and emotions affect our decision making and actions. In essence, we learn how our thoughts and emotions control our behavior. Through introspection, we learn about the ways we are influencing ourselves and others.
Finally, we examine our personal history and review the things that shaped us into the people we are today.
This step isn't easy, but after several weeks of regularly practicing it, you'll notice a huge difference in the amount of happiness you feel.
Step 3: Reflection
The final step in the process of meditation is reflection. During this step, we examine our past and see how our present self is influenced by the thoughts and actions we took throughout our life. We take the time to appreciate our life and our accomplishments, even the ones we didn't appreciate during earlier steps of meditation.
Reflecting also gives us a chance to look at the areas where we still need to improve.