Three surprising benefits of meditation

Three surprising benefits of meditation…

I know the benefits of meditation or I thought I did. It turns out that there are some surprising benefits of meditation, which come with a regular practice. Meditation is an integral part of any self-care/mental well-being regime and it’s also central to a well-rounded yoga practice. This does not mean that I’ve been any good at it. But recently I’ve made a more concerted effort towards my meditation journey. Along the way I’ve encountered 3 surprising things that happened when I started meditating more regularly.

My dog started sleeping better

My meditation practice began using an app, like many people, and following the guidance of someone else. Over the course of my first Yoga Teacher Training my meditation experience changed as I progressed to breath focused meditations. When Jackson came to stay with me, he often climbed onto my lap and settled during my morning meditation. Six years on and he still does this.

But Jackson is also very in-tune with how I’m feeling. He knows when I’m having a migraine or when my anxiety levels are creeping up. At these points he wants to be near me, to comfort me and that’s when he doesn’t sleep.

When I’m not settled, he’s not settled.

Increasing my meditation by 5-minutes and dedicating time each day has helped me to feel less anxious and caught up in my thoughts. The knock-on effect is that Jackson has also been more settled. He knows I’m ok and that he is off-duty and can relax in his bed.

I found more time in the week

Many people don’t meditate because they don’t have the time or can’t find it in their day. Before I made meditation a priority I was also feeling like this. But by sitting for my daily meditation I find that I have more time not less. Perhaps I’m more focused in the present moment and it feels like I have more time, I’m not sure? Meditation has a way of seeping out of the formal practice and into the nooks and crannies of daily life. Suddenly I have some more time to play with my dog, to take longer walks, to read a book or to find extra time on my yoga mat.

I became better at tuning out negative people

We are all surrounded by the energy vampires. Those people we have to work with who make it all about them – they never ask anything about your life but expect you to remember every minute detail about theirs. Dealing with these people can leave you drained, increase levels of stress.

By taking time out each morning for my own inner well-being I have been choosing how to set the tone of the day. This has transferred over from my meditation cushion and into my working day. I can’t even really explain how far into the background the negative people have fallen, and this has only helped me feel encouraged to take more positive steps for my own well-being.

I am looking forward to my next meditation

As I sat down to write this post I realised that another unexpected benefit had occurred on my meditation journey. When I was meditating before it was more about ticking a box, keeping score my on my app and less about actually sitting and turning my attention to my breath. I was missing the point, but one morning I accidentally stayed in meditation for longer than I had planned. And it felt nice. I felt more grounded, focused and proud of myself. It wasn’t a huge leap towards looking forward to the next meditation, which is something I really didn’t expect to happen.

Now that I’m creating a new habit I have noticed some surprising benefits of meditation and I’m intrigued to see what comes from continuing down this road. If you’d like to learn more about meditation or start with some guided options, then check out my Insight Timer selection, and let me know how your life changes for the better.