Why Meditation is Important

It’s easy in our world of café mochas, soccer practice, and nights at the movies to lose touch with the rhythm of our souls. There is so much competing for our attention, that the practice of meditation and soul searching may just seem silly. Many of us have a system of organization that gets us through our daily routine. This is perfectly fine and often very rewarding when we finish the day, knowing that we accomplished something great. If we don’t feel an inward struggle, if we don’t feel lost or in need of self-improvement, if we’ve got it “all together”…then do we really need to practice meditation?

This is a good question. Why try to sit still and “just breathe”, when you thrive on being on the run…and out of breath? For some people, that is just as invigorating and inspiring as meditation.

Many think of incense and monks chanting in a mystical place when they think of meditation. But did you know that speed walking each morning at 6am can be considered meditation? Have you ever sat at the train station, waiting for your ride to the next appointment and just watched people walk by? Have you run along the beach and listened to the waves crashing in the background? Have you ever gone outside after dark and simply practiced free throws? All this can be a form of meditation when you allow it to bring you to a state of mindfulness.

Some would say that meditation is important for our survival as a species. The practice of meditation is important for our individual happiness and our happiness as a society. There is no doubt that with the uses of technology our world is moving at a faster and faster pace.

This is all good.

Meditation simply allows us to take it all in, without judgment, without stress, without a feeling of time pressures. By living mindfully and appreciating every moment for exactly what it is, good and bad, we allow our opinions to be just thoughts rather than allowing them to limit our possibilities for growth. When we are so attached to our opinions and judgments of how things should or should not be, we limit our possibility for growth. It’s as if our opinions can form a barrier, like a dark cloud blocking the sunshine.

Sometimes it’s obvious when limiting beliefs are holding us back from our true potential. However, sometimes it’s not. Meditation can allow you the time for clarity of thought so you can discover if this may be true for you.

Think of the things that you allowed yourself to do when you were a child – before being a “responsible adult” set in. The key here is that for many people, childhood was a time of discovery. We didn’t have all the answers and we didn’t care that we didn’t have all the answers. We allowed ourselves to live fully in each moment.