We live in a very fast paced, dog eat dog world. We are all trying to get somewhere or be something and at times we risk relationships and health just to get what we think we want.
Last year I discovered that I had been suffering from depression all my life.
For the longest time, I thought it was the usual stress we all suffer. It never made sense to me why my mum always used to tell me that I stressed too much for a kid, well, not until recently.
I had a very difficult upbringing. I never lacked anything materially but my biggest battles were psychological as well as emotional. I could never sleep before midnight, I was always fearful of my dad, life and pretty much everything in-between. But it got worse as I grew older, until some time last year when I finally broke down.
We live in a very fast paced, dog eat dog world. We are all trying to get somewhere or be something and at times we risk relationships and health just to get what we think we want.
That was me until I learnt about the reality of my depression and the existence of meditation. Thank you Metro Mission Church.
It is a beautiful Friday evening now, I am about to take some time off for some peace and calm, but before I do this I want to briefly share with you what meditation is, why you need it and how you can get into it just like I did.
What is Meditation?
According to Wikipedia, meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness or focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state.
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Why You Need to Meditate
As I mentioned earlier, we live in a very fast-paced world and as a result of this, we often find ourselves over-worked and overly stressed.
Many of us find it difficult to focus on one thing, we multi-task and therefore the quality of everything is replaced by mere quantity. Most often than not, this is bad.
Meditation can help us slow down and refocus on what matters. By using meditation techniques we can remove ourselves from the hustle and bustle of life for even a short while so we can regain calm and focus as well as help us be more at peace with the world around us.
Other things meditation can help with are:
- Helping you sleep better at night
- Help you stress less
- Heal faster
- Relax more
- Go through a day better
There are a lot more benefits to meditation, you can read more on these on the Mindful Website.
How to Meditate
There are a couple of ways you can meditate but the key point is that you need to isolate yourself from all disturbances and place yourself in a place of peace and quiet.
It is a skill you need to learn. Because your mind is used to rushing and stressing so much it may take a while, but be patient with the process.
Ideally, you want to find a place of calm where you can sit comfortably. From there you can close your eyes and focus on an object in your mind and keep your mind on that object. You can focus on your breathing. Some people prefer visualization techniques.
There are a number of resources and tools you can use to teach you and help you meditate. Here are some:
I am sure there are a lot more, but these should get you started right away.
I cannot stress how important it is to learn how to meditate. You may ask, “but don’t I meditate when I pray”? My answer to that is “not always”. If you have learnt meditation as a practise or habit it will seep into your prayer life and Bible study. Most of the time we rush through prayer and Bible study, anxious to get into the days’ activities. As a result of this, we get into the day as if we never did any devotion at all.
Take time to learn how to meditate (to be still, to focus, to visualize) and your devotional life, as well as every other aspect of your life, will transform.
