What Is the Goal of Meditation?

We exist in an incredibly goal-oriented society. Sometimes we get so focused on a tangible outcome that we can be blinded to the more internal positive side effects. 

That’s why today we are discussing the inherent journey when beginning the practice of meditation. If you are always looking for the end result, you are not experiencing the present moment fully.

Before we get into just some of what meditation can offer you, let’s establish what exactly meditation is and where it comes from.

What Is Meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that focuses on aligning our bodies, minds, and spirits by connecting with ourselves and our surroundings. That definition might sound a bit vague, but that is by design.

Meditation can mean slightly different things depending on who you are and what benefits you hope to get out of it. Each form of meditation can differ depending on what your desired outcome is.

Archeologists estimate that examples of meditation could appear from as early on as 5,000 BCE. While we might have slightly altered some common meditation practices since then, the core tenets remain the same.

Meditation also has roots in various religious and cultural backgrounds, but Buddhism is perhaps the most significant influence. People have relied on meditation to guide them and offer clarity for thousands of years.

Let’s chat about what advantages it can offer you today.

What Are the Benefits of Meditation?

Individuals have been reaping the rewards of meditating for many years, but what exactly are those rewards? For the most part, these rewards center around a feeling of centeredness and fulfillment.

We cannot always impact what is happening in the outside world. In fact, we usually can’t. While we may not be able to alter the course of world events, we can control our reaction to external triggers.

Of course, it is completely natural to have some anxiety when reacting to unpleasant situations. Yet, through meditation, you can learn how to become better attuned to those feelings and know how to listen to your own needs. Not only that, but with practice, meditation allows you the ability to alter your thought patterns to become more healthy and productive.

You can engage in just one kind of meditation or try out several. Know that by sticking with it, you will be opening up a proverbial toolbox that can help you in many different facets of your life. Without further ado, here are some of the more specific ways that meditation can positively impact you. Plus, the types of meditation you can do to achieve those results.

Meditation Can Lower Stress and Anxiety

If you need any indication on how meditation can diminish feelings of stress and anxiety, look no further than the endorsement from Buddhist monks. They are associated with a calm and peaceful aura. 

Nowadays, the teachings of meditation are nearly everywhere. Whether it is in the yoga class at your local gym or a mindfulness seminar available online, there is so much to learn (and enjoy).

By taking these lessons to heart and putting them into practice, you can gain more productive methods of coping and self-reflection. Once you have implemented these teachings, an inner sense of calm is often not long behind.

Short-Term and Long-Term Advantages

If you give mindfulness meditation and its teachings enough time to truly settle in your mind, you will likely discover that the way you process complicated feelings adjusts. This is because you have put in the work to gain a heightened sense of perspective and have consistently taken the time to be aware of your own emotions.

This is a significant long-term advantage that can follow you in everything you do. After all, who wouldn’t want the ability to feel more at peace in their day-to-day life?

It is well worth mentioning that there is also an abundance of short-term advantages to be gleaned from meditating. While you are possibly working toward these more long-term goals, the act of meditating itself can contribute to feelings of calm.

This means that you are helping yourself feel more inner peace both now and later. Talk about a win-win!

Access To a More Mindful Way of Life

Mindfulness is one of the core ideas surrounding meditation, and it is a principle that intrigues many people. In essence, mindfulness is a method of understanding how you relate to the world, and the world relates to you in turn.

This can take on different meanings, but mindfulness generally allows for a feeling of being more present while also being in tune with your own emotions.

Many of us have a tendency to get caught up in our own heads or to overthink even the smallest of interactions. Nowadays, with social media and phones constantly at our disposal, this is possibly even more of a concern than ever before. Mindfulness can give you the tools required to understand your emotions. 

By doing this, you do not shy away from what you are feeling. Instead, you can recognize your own patterns and learn from them. This way, you can have your logical and emotional selves be fully at peace and aligned.

When you truly accomplish this sense of heightened balance, you will become more in control of your own reactions and at peace with what is out of your control.

Take a moment out of your day to observe your feelings without any judgment or reservation. Over time, you will get better and better at recognizing how you are feeling, making you much more aligned with your inner self.

What Are the Best Kinds of Meditation for Becoming More Mindful?

Mindfulness meditation is a specific subsection of the practice that has gained widespread popularity. Not only do our friends and family members recommend mediation, but it’s pretty hard to ignore the scientific evidence in its favor.

Being more mindful can help you cope with and fully feel your emotions, whether they are positive or negative. Now it just becomes a question of discovering which meditation practices are right for you.

Whether you are a beginner or more experienced in the fine art of meditation, there are multiple pathways to set you on your journey. Meditation apps often come equipped with guided meditations involving visualization, body-centered meditation, and much more. 

Children and Meditating

You can also check out your local community center or yoga studio for helpful group classes. Look for classes or groups where you can bring your whole family! Teaching children meditation can help them learn emotional and behavioral regulation.

Children have large emotions that they can have some difficulty processing. Adequate healthy coping skills can help you avoid those pre-nap temper tantrums. Meditation can help them process stress, conflict, and boredom in constructive ways.

Increase Awareness of Your Physical Body

Meditation is often considered to be a kind of “workout for your mind.” That being said, your physical self is also an integral aspect of many successful meditation sessions. Much of meditation and mindfulness revolve around aligning your mental, physical, and spiritual selves naturally. Sometimes, it feels like the physical aspect can fall by the wayside. 

It is essential to remember that your physical body does a great deal to inform how you feel mentally. This is why checking up on your physical and emotional state is also an integral aspect of meditation.

Not only that, but the very act of checking in with your physical self can often help you mentally, especially in moments of high stress.

What Are the Best Kinds of Meditation for Increasing Awareness of Your Physical Body?

You might not realize it, but many of the most common meditative practices already largely involve awareness of your physical self. For example, stretching exercises such as yoga are wonderful for aligning your energy.

Breathing exercises have long been recommended for calming people down when they are anxious. Taking stock of your breathing momentarily takes your mind away from your thoughts and instead lets you understand your body.

How Can Meditation Be Made Even More Effective?

Meditation is powerful; that’s no secret.  No matter what type or types of meditation you choose to engage in, it’s easy to boost your peaceful groove — a “work smarter, not harder” type of thing. (Because yes, there are just some days where reaching inner peace presents a challenge bigger than the growing pile of laundry on your bed.)

At The Natural Patch Co., it’s no secret that we are partial to the powers of aromatherapy.

Many people find that they can achieve this greater sense of calm with the use of essential oils. That is exactly why we have the ZenPatch, a sticker formulated with a special blend of essential oils that create an aura of peace and zen. The ZenPatch is both kid and adult-friendly, so your whole family can join in on the good vibes.

This patch draws on essential oils such as Mandarin, Sweet Orange, Atlas Cedarwood, and Lavender to create a serene, tranquil energy. Whether you choose to use this patch to help bring your meditation to new heights or whether you simply enjoy its chill benefits after a long day, it’s a pretty sweet-smelling solution.

Reaching Mindfulness Through Meditation

The goal to become more mindful is an incredibly worthwhile one, as it is bound to help you in so many aspects of your life. From managing very stressful situations to just the occasional monotony of day-to-day life, meditation can assist you. The truth is that mindfulness is a moving target, and it’s a muscle that needs regular training.

At different points throughout your life, the very concept of “mindfulness” has the potential to take on different meanings, and that is part of the joy of life. Understanding that circumstances and feelings change an enormous part of what it means to be mindful. When you can understand and perceive those changes without judgment or reservation, that is when you are truly thinking mindfully. 

Sources:

How Meditation Went Mainstream | Time

Mindfulness Meditation May Ease Anxiety, Mental Stress | Harvard

Less Stress, Clearer Thoughts With Mindfulness Meditation | Harvard

9 Types of Meditation: Which One Is Right for You? | Healthline