Meditation Benefits Backed by Science - Learn How to Start Today

Meditation Benefits Backed by Science - Learn How to Start Today

Meditation offers numerous science-backed benefits like reduced stress, improved relaxation, and better overall well-being. Many doctors recommend meditation to patients, yet some common myths prevent people from trying it:

- "I can't stop my mind from wandering."

- "It conflicts with my religion."

- "Learning meditation is too expensive."

- "I don't have time to meditate."

- "I can't sit still."

The truth is, you can meditate successfully even if your mind wanders. There are secular meditation styles that don't require religious beliefs. Learning to meditate can be inexpensive or even free. You only need 15 minutes per day, and you don't have to sit perfectly still.

The Essence of Meditation: Sit Quietly and Stay Awake

After over 25 years of teaching experience, I've found that nearly all meditation styles share this fundamental practice: sitting quietly with your eyes closed while remaining awake for a set period. Studies on meditation benefits can't determine what someone is thinking - just that they sat quietly, eyes closed, without sleeping.

Any Form of Seated Meditation Can Provide Benefits

Since the observable action is the same across styles, any form of seated, eyes-closed meditation can likely provide benefits when practiced consistently, as research shows is necessary.

The Best Meditation Style Is One You'll Actually Practice

To encourage meditation practice, the style should be easy to understand, inexpensive, secular, simple to do, pleasurable, able to provide noticeable positive effects, and realistic for daily schedules.

I recommend researching different meditation styles, finding an experienced teacher you like, and starting right away. If meditation were a drug, its proven benefits and lack of side effects might make it a bestseller.