The importance of meditation

Meditation, or the practice of it, has come a long way. Throughout history, many individuals have sworn by it. Perhaps now more than ever, in our fast-paced society, we need it.

Meditation

If you’ve grown up in this world, especially in America, over the past 50 years, you’ve likely lived an expeditious life. In that regard, I mean, you’ve been a part of the new world regimen of leading a life surrounded by the pace in which it supposedly thrives.

This rapid pace can be challenging to maintain even for the most hardworking and dedicated individuals. Many people believe if they put in the work, they will reap the benefits and fruits of their labor. Often, it is true. By putting time and effort into anything, you have a high chance of receiving the desired outcome. Yet, at what cost to yourself or those around you.

The grind

The “grind,” as it’s affectionately known, is all about working as hard as possible. The word derives from the saying “keep your nose to the grindstone,” meaning sacrifices are to be made for dreams and ambitions, sometimes at any cost, even disregarding health. Have you missed any sleep? Maybe you’ve been working on a project every day until two in the morning, even though you know you have to be up at five. Those who routinely take this course of action are typically fueled by the logic that if they work hard enough, they can ultimately forge their own path by “grinding.”

While there is something to be said for putting your best effort into whatever you do, there is something to be said equally for every facet of your ability to complete something, even the overlooked ones. Every day, people “grind” away at making their dreams a reality, to get to where they want to be. It’s a part of any dream, let alone the American. But even the most intricate, intellectual, hardworking, thoughtful, and powerful human beings use one distinct form of peacemaking for clarity, meaning, and purpose: meditation. These people, whether they know it or not, use some form of meditation.

Grounded

What does mediation most succinctly do? It keeps you grounded. Because our world is continually changing and people are always in “grind mode,” we must not lose ourselves in trying to keep up, which can easily happen. There are many ways to meditate, such as having moments of solitude while sitting in stillness, or perhaps the most effective, breathing. These techniques all come together in harmony to ground you, to give you perspective. Rather than being blinded by and becoming a victim of your circumstances, you take control.

Yet, grounding yourself involves knowing yourself. Each one of us is different. No two people are the same on this planet. The more you are in touch with yourself, the more effortless your attempts to ground yourself become. No one will ever know what it is like to be you or know you as you know yourself. We must use this deep understanding of ourselves to our advantage by capitalizing on what techniques we know work best for us.

There is no “right” way of meditation. There are preferred methodologies that have been used for hundreds of years by many people, but meditation is a very subjective thing. It comes down to what grounds you and leaves you feeling most at peace. By acknowledging so, you realize the impact of meditation and its capacity to heal. More specifically, you understand the importance of it always having a place in your life.