“The goal of meditation isn't to control your thoughts, it's to stop letting your thoughts control you.”
Meditation
Each day we are bombarded with messages that we aren’t enough or don’t have enough, and, starting at a young age, we can internalize these ideas. In response, our mind may provide a running stream of commentary that wants life to be perfect. We must have certain things, look a certain way, be able to do certain things, hang out with the right people, and nothing can go wrong.
The real us, the us that says this internal chatter is getting in the way, needs quiet to be heard. Meditation can help give you the quiet your mind needs to separate from these negative thoughts and acknowledge them for what they are, learned self-doubt, fears, and insecurities.
Research shows that practicing meditation can:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Increase focus and concentration
- Improve sleep
- Improve memory
- Increase resilience to life's challenges
- Increase patience and compassion
- Promote health and overall well-being
- Increase satisfaction with life
- Achieve inner peace
- Increase self awareness
- Boost creativity
- Find joy and fulfillment
Many people believe they can’t meditate or aren’t good at it. They think that if they aren’t able to suppress all thoughts or maintain focus, they have failed at meditating, but the goal of meditation is not to suppress all thoughts. The goal is to gain the ability to notice where our attention lies. We are successful every time we notice our mind wandering and bring our attention back to the point of focus. It is called a practice because we learn as we go.
There are many different types of meditation, and some may work better for you than others. Some examples are:
- In Mindfulness Meditation we focus on being present in this moment, not in the past and not in the future. It can be done anywhere and anytime.
- Breath Awareness Meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation, but the focus is on the breath.
- In Loving Kindness Meditation, we cultivate feelings of love and compassion towards all.
- In Body Scan Meditation, we bring attention to all parts of the body in turn.
- In Walking Meditation, we shift from walking on autopilot to focusing on the process and walking with reverence.
Meditation can be practiced by anyone of any background and any religion, and it doesn’t have to take long. Benefits can be seen with just 1 minute a day, but they rise considerably with 10 minutes or more per day.
Our meditation classes can help you get started. See our Events calendar for upcoming events or Contact Us to schedule a session.
Learn more
To learn more about our programs including Life Coaching, Meditation, Nature Therapy, Yoga, Reiki, and programs specific to kids, visit our Services Page. Visit the Calendar Page for a listing of planned events, or get in touch through our contact form.