Imagine if you could close that YouTube tab for just 10 minutes to find entertainment, energy and peace by closing your eyes. Sounds like an impossible feat, right? However, it is possible through meditation. We all posses the power to meditate but we do not take 10 minutes out of 24 hours because most of us either have not been introduced to meditation or are too busy with work that keeps our minds preoccupied. Maybe if we take a closer look at all the benefits of meditation and try to practice it, we will find out first-hand the profound impact it has on changing our lives. 

We have all seen articles about how meditation can diminish stress, depression, anxiety, pain, insomnia and increases the overall quality of life. There are numerous studies on such results, yet very few of us take advantage of these facts. Perhaps because we are too busy turning to more secular ways of relieving stress, such as Internet browsing or posting on social media. 

During a busy, groggy day we do not have time to look at ourselves in the mirror to make sure we are looking all right. Similarly, we keep our minds so busy and so stimulated with technology that we never stop to peer into the mental reflection of our minds, to listen to the silent language of the brain itself. Just as after a long day we use expensive products to clean our body and smell good, why not take the time to clean our mind of the clutter of stress, anxiety and other negative vibes?

Meditation is like a spiritual shower. This is not just a placebo effect; according to some researchers it causes actual changes in brain structure. Sara Lazard, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, conducted experiments to compare the brains of people who meditate and those who do not. The result was so amazing she said the 50-year-old regular meditators had equal amounts of gray matter as 25-year-olds! The particular structure change means meditation helps with improving decision making and memory, thus making you a wiser person. The neuroscientist also found meditation increases the volume of brain in parts associated with learning, emotional regulation and perspective taking. Which means you become a more empathetic and compassionate person. 

So, what do you actually have to do to meditate? It does not necessarily involve reciting a bunch of gibberish mantras or shaving your head to become a monk.  Peace through meditation is effortless. The particular technique I was introduced to involves simply sitting in a preferred comfortable position and closing your eyes. Then, try to think about light. Not as much an object like candle that gives off light, but light as is, independent of its source. Focus on the concept of light as a means of having a conversation with the most positive essence of your inner self. Your focus will increase gradually. You may have nagging thoughts of the day or incidents on your mind, but during meditation you can easily brush them off from your mind.  Think of it as an unwanted guest at a party whom you can ignore to focus your attention on your best friend instead. The more consistently you meditate, the better the impact on your life. 

From my personal experience, the first two times I tried meditation I did not feel much, nor was I able to sit for more than 10 minutes. Eventually however, I felt the warmth of the light in my mind. As a result of meditation my mind started wandering less, and I became more resilient to upsetting occurrences throughout the day. 

While meditating, take every sensation and thought you have as something positive, whether it is your imagination or meditation really is a metaphysical force, trust science that if nothing at all, silent introspection of the mind will increase the calm in your life and make you a better person than you were yesterday.