What is meditation & what are its benefits?  These are the commonest questions which come to our mind.  Wikipedia defines meditation as a practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a subject, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.  According to Buddhist concept, meditation is a means of transforming the mind with techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity and a cam seeing of the true nature of things.

Benefits

Brain & moods:

Research shows that regular practice of mindfulness meditation reduces indications of depression, anxiety, and stress in students and employees.  It is also proven that regular meditation increases the concentration of grey matter in the brain involved in learning, memory, regulating emotions, sense of self and having perspective.

Mind & Performance:

Research shows meditation improves focus, attention & ability to work under stress.  It also improves the ability of information processing and decision making in a person.  It also relieves pain and fosters creativity.

Body & health:

It is a proven fact that meditation reduces the risk of heart diseases, strokes, affect the genes that control stress and immunity, reduces blood pressure, decreases inflammatory disorders and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.

The theoretical explanation for the effects of meditation and relaxation techniques is that the release of catecholamines and other stress hormones are reduced, and parasympathetic activity increased.

Relationships:

Meditation improves empathy, positive relationships, feelings of compassion, decreases social isolation, worry, feelings of loneliness, emotional eating and promotes a feeling of wellbeing.

Meditation is effortless and leads to a state of thoughtless awareness in which the excessive stress producing activity of the mind is neutralized without reducing alertness and effectiveness.  Authentic meditation enables one to focus on the present moment rather than dwell on the unchangeable past or undetermined future.

Therefore, a 10-minute meditation in a day can keep you young, healthy, calm, energetic and attentive making you successful in all fields of life.