Some people find the idea of having a daily practice intimidating. But meditation is easier than you might think, and it can even be fun.

First off, let’s dispel the myth that meditation is about having no thoughts. Having no thoughts is quite simply unachievable for most modern people. We live busy lives that keep our minds active. So it can’t be switched off like a light switch. We have to gradually reduce our brain wave stage through various stages of meditation. And we have to build up our meditation practice over time to get our minds to be more and more quiet.

So let’s talk about some of the benefits of a meditation practice!

1. Stress reduction and relaxation
2. Creativity and problem solving
3. Productivity and focus
4. Spiritual attainment: Know thyself!

1. Stress reduction and relaxation
We carry a lot of tension in our bodies, and when we are always on the go, we can lose sight of just how much stress we are putting on ourselves. The most effective styles of meditation will include a relaxation of the body and the mind. For example, in the Max Meditation™ System, we always begin by using the breath and visualization to relax the body. A relaxed mind can only follow a relaxed body.

Even after one meditation session, my clients notice that they are more relaxed for days or even a week after. However, a daily meditation practice will lower our overall stress levels so that we can sustain a more stress-free life over time!

2. Creativity and problem solving
If you’ve only thought of meditation as a quiet mind, this one might surprise you. There are actually two major types of meditation 1) passive (quiet mind) and 2) active. Active meditation techniques allow you to get higher perspective and insights on situations and problems by bringing them into the spiritual realms. In Empower Thyself Initiation, I teach a form of active meditation called Sanctuary Meditation where you can interact directly with your Higher Self and Spirit Guides.

There are also forms of meditation that help you generate ideas and bring them into action and manifestation. I rarely make any major decision without first meditating. And I wrote my book Ancient Healings, Modern Miracles almost entirely based on what I received in meditation.

3. Productivity and Focus
Think of meditation as exercise for your mind. The more we meditate, the better our minds can perform in our daily tasks. Most of the thoughts that we have are repetitive. Meaning, the vast majority of the thoughts we have today are the same ones we had yesterday and will have again tomorrow. That is clutter of the mind and it keeps it from being as effective as it could be. A meditation practice will allow you to release unproductive thoughts and free up more space for focused, productive use of our brain power!

4. Spiritual attainment: Know thyself!
Now let’s move beyond the practical into the spiritual. In the ancient mystery school traditions, we say that the path to spiritual attainment is to Know Thyself. That is THE path. What we mean by that is to know ourselves as divine beings, beyond the mundane of our daily lives is the method to spiritual attainment. Meditation allows us to connect with ourselves as spiritual beings and to know ourselves in relation to God and the universe.

One form of meditation I particularly love for this is Astral Travel. It allows us to move our consciousness into the highest spiritual dimension (7th) and anywhere throughout the known universe. Every great spiritual master you can think of who has ever walked the planet had a disciplined meditation practice. There is no way in this physical existence and this physical density to ascend to the highest spiritual planes other than meditation.

Hopefully this article has broadened your perspective on why and how you would have a daily meditation practice. I teach several forms of meditation regularly and would be happy to assist you in my group classes or individually. Feel free to check my schedule of events or reach out for a consultation. I also offer meditation for corporations, so if you think your employer might be interested in bringing this to your workplace, let’s chat.