Meditation helps you become a stronger, clearer, and better version of yourself. By practicing meditation regularly, you’ll notice profound positive changes in your brain and body. Over time, meditation can transform how you experience life, allowing you to cultivate greater focus, calm, and inner power.
Meditation for Warriors, High Performers, and Everyone in Between
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years by yogis, Buddhists, and Hindus as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment. It was also a cornerstone of practice for the Japanese samurai, Shaolin monks in China, Muay Thai fighters, and is now embraced by modern-day special forces, CEOs, and athletes.
But meditation isn’t limited to high performers. It’s equally valuable for everyday people looking to reduce stress, generate good feelings, and become the best version of themselves.
Why You Should Meditate
Here are seven key reasons to incorporate meditation into your daily life:
1. Generate Positive Feelings: Meditation helps cultivate joy, calm, and clarity.
2. Reduce Stress: It soothes the nervous system and promotes relaxation.
3. Emotional Control: Meditation enables you to detach from your thoughts and emotions, helping you control them instead of being controlled by them.
4. Boost Attention and Focus: It enhances your ability to concentrate for longer periods.
5. Increase Pain Tolerance: Regular practice strengthens your resilience to discomfort.
6. Grow Brain Tissue: Studies show meditation increases gray matter in the brain.
7. Integrate Brain Functionality: Meditation improves connectivity between different regions of the brain, enhancing overall mental performance.
The Technique: Finding Emptiness
Meditation is simple but requires discipline. Follow these steps to get started:
1. Create the Right Environment
Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Sit comfortably, ideally in a cross-legged position with your hands resting on your knees or in your lap.
2. Set a Timer
Start with 10 minutes. Once you’re comfortable, you can extend your sessions to 30 minutes or more.
3. Commit to Stillness
Once you start the timer, vow not to move until it goes off. You may adjust slightly in the first few seconds to find your position, but after that, remain completely still.
4. Focus on Your Breath
Direct your attention to one of two areas:
• Your Nose: Notice the subtle sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils.
• Your Abdomen: Feel the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe. This larger, grounding movement can be easier for beginners.
Choose whichever feels most natural, and focus entirely on the sensation of your breath. Resist the urge to move or scratch an itch.
5. Manage Distractions
As a beginner, you’ll likely face challenges. Your mind may wander, and you might feel the urge to move. Thoughts like “Why am I doing this?” or random images and memories may surface. These distractions are normal.
To stay grounded, you can count your breaths—silently counting as you inhale and exhale. When your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to the breath.
Prepare for the Storm to Find the Calm
Meditation can feel challenging at first. When you sit still, your body may itch or ache, and your mind will flood with thoughts, emotions, and memories.
This initial discomfort is part of the process. Label distractions as thoughts, emotions, or sensations, and calmly return to your breathing. With practice, the storm will subside, and you’ll find moments of calm focus.
Over time, your ability to concentrate on your breath will improve, and you’ll feel calmer in both mind and body.
The State of Emptiness
The ultimate goal of meditation is to reach a state of emptiness—a profound calm and clarity where thoughts and emotions no longer overwhelm you.
In this state, you’re not suppressing thoughts or emotions, nor are you completely devoid of them. Instead, you’ve risen above them. You observe your thoughts and feelings without being swept away by them.
How to Achieve Emptiness
• Don’t Force It: Trying to push thoughts or emotions out of your mind won’t work.
• Observe and Detach: Focus on your breath, allowing thoughts and emotions to pass without judgment.
• Stay Persistent: It takes time and willpower, but with regular practice, you’ll notice your mind and body calming down naturally.
This state of emptiness often feels pleasant, as your breathing calms your nervous system and creates a sense of peace.
Why Meditation Matters
Meditation is not just about achieving calm during your sessions—it spills over into everyday life. Regular practice improves your ability to handle stress, make better decisions, and remain composed in challenging situations.
For example, martial artists and military professionals use meditation to control their breathing, lower their heart rates, and stay focused under pressure. These benefits are just as valuable for anyone dealing with the challenges of daily life.
When you master the ability to sit still, even through discomfort, you’ll gain the mental strength to face life’s storms with resilience.
Generating Good Feelings
Beyond stress reduction and focus, meditation can also create profound feelings of joy and peace. This is why many ancient traditions associate meditation with enlightenment.
While this guide provides a basic introduction to meditation, mastering the practice opens the door to deeper, more profound experiences.
Summary
Meditation offers a wide range of benefits, including:
• Reduced stress
• Improved focus and emotional control
• Greater mental clarity
• Increased physical and mental resilience
It takes time and dedication to master meditation, but the rewards are worth the effort. With daily practice, you can achieve a state of inner peace and clarity that transforms your life.
Meditation isn’t for everyone, but for those who commit to it, the benefits can be life-changing.
Start your journey today, and discover the power of finding emptiness through the simple act of mindful breathing.