Defining Meditation, Benefits for Mental Health & How to Start

Meditation Series Part 1

So it makes sense that I start my Meditation Series by defining the basics, what the benefits are for mental health, and where beginners can start.

I am so excited to launch this series. I started this blog because, for a long time, anxiety and depression put my life on hold. And although I’m coming out of it now, it hurts my heart that there are millions out there who struggle with the same.

And now, with the COVID-19 trainwreck, tanking economy, protests and riots, and worldwide tensions… a bunch of you are stuck at home and I know your mental health is taking a hit. Mine sure is.

So it’s my aim to fill this blog with simple wellbeing tips and coping practices. Meditation being one of them.

It’s simple… but not easy. Especially if you’re not used to prioritizing yourself. 

You need to commit wholeheartedly to your self-care. And no, that’s not selfish. 

And it will take time.

But oh is it fucking worth it.

Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or mental healthcare provider. This post is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment provided by a qualified health care professional.  If you have concerns about your mental health, always seek the advice of your doctor or other health care professional.

What the Hell is Meditation?

Meditation comes in many forms and is the practice of focusing your mind to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. It’s most often accompanied by long, deep breaths to promote stillness and relaxation.

It involves concentrating on the present moment in a non-judgemental and accepting way.

The best way I heard it described is that meditation is observing the mind without changing it. Which inherently changes it and we start to come out of obsessive ruminations.

It’s difficult to compile all the benefits meditation can have on our mental health in a single post. Which is why I’m doing a series, obviously.

But as both a professional skeptic and scientist, I trust the data. And there’s a lot of it.

Mindfulness vs Meditation: What’s the Difference?

You’ll notice I use “mindfulness” and “meditation” interchangeably. But they’re slightly different. Mindfulness is simply a meditation method, of which there are many. It involves noticing and present moment awareness.

There are many forms of meditation, and not all of them require us to be physically still.

Sitting still is just good for beginners to explore the fundamentals of meditation.

I’m not a monk… why should I meditate?

Okay I know that’s silly. But that’s literally what I asked when meditation was proposed to me.

I thought it was something monks did to pass the time.

I was in a dark place.

Here’s the kicker.

Humans respond to imaginary threats as if they’re real. And that’s a good thing. It advanced our society to where we are today.

But sometimes, these fears go into overdrive. And we lose ourselves in the fog of stress and anxiety in our minds. Hello, me. And if there’s no action to be taken (which is 99% of the time because they’re all imagined), it becomes internalized and causes mental suffering.

Meditation helps us unlock this mental cage.

It grounds us in the present moment. I talk about the present moment a lot on here and Instagram because that’s what it’s all about. 

The present moment is everything. I will never stop talking about it. Eckhart Tolle would be proud.

Being in the present moment means we’re not stuck in a trance of thinking. We practice how to step out of the toxic loop of thoughts and tune into our surroundings.

NOT how to turn thoughts off. That’s literally impossible.

In this series, we’ll explore the idea of popping out of our thoughts and observing them with non-judgement.

And it’s hard to stay in the present moment because it takes a LOT of concentration. And as I mention in this post where I meditated for 31 days and documented the results, we as a society are shit at concentration.

Meditation strengthens that muscle, which is beneficial for a myriad of things in life. And it can make the present moment more easily accessible.

But Pamela… my stress/anxiety/etc isn’t caused by thoughts… it just happens

I get that.

Anxiety’s been living in my body so long that it doesn’t need thoughts anymore to rear its ugly head. It just flares, as often as every few minutes.

Or it festers unconsciously.

Good thing meditation’s as much about thoughts as it is about body sensations.

That’s right, friend. Being in the present moment isn’t just popping out of your thoughts. It’s being aware of every little sensation in your body.

Sounds uncomfortable, right? IT IS.

At first.

Whether thoughts come first or not, we have to admit we attach a story to every bad sensation in our bodies. In this series, we’ll explore how meditation can help us manage painful or uncomfortable sensation and graduate to total acceptance and compassion.

And maybe someday… not be hijacked by them anymore.

Can Meditation Make Me Happier?

I also asked this when I first started. It’s a goodie.

In the series, we’ll explore the concept of sampling joy from everything and everyone around us.

You can’t tell me this is something we’re taught in this day and age. At least not me.

Sample joy from the people around me? Isn’t everyone my competition in the rat race to the top? Shouldn’t I resent other people’s success and perceive it as a threat to my own?

… no.

This comparison game only perpetuates negative thoughts and emotions. And people wonder why they’re so unhappy.

Ergo facto, we’ll explore the concept of loving-kindess.

To be honest, I still struggle with this one.

I don’t want to emulate cotton-candy rosiness. I’m a Type A personality alpha-woman who crushes goals like a motherfucker and my favorite color is black.

Little did I know I can be all those things… while still being kinder to myself and others.

I can be all those things… and a little less miserable about it.

So I’ll be sharing the most powerful meditation I’ve ever done, which happens to be on the concept of loving-kindness. Stay tuned.

Is Meditation Hard?

This is a funny question because if we approach meditation with the mentality that it’s hard work, it defeats the point. Meditation is meant for relaxation.

If you’re straining for inner peace… you don’t have inner peace.

Meditation is simple… but it’s not easy.

We’re strengthening muscles we don’t often use. Concentration first. Then equanimity, which will have a post of its own.

But it’s imperative that we keep practicing, even if we don’t see results. Just like everything, consistency is key.

Great… Show Me the Data

I like how you think. Let’s data.

First, here’s a great video explaining how meditation changes the brain.

Did you watch it? Because she models with her hand how mindful awareness can integrate the limbic system with the frontal cortex. I’m a visual learner so this helped a LOT with visualization and even strengthened my awareness!

When in mental distress, signals get stuck in a subcortical loop, which means the limbic system isn’t communicating with the frontal cortex (which is in charge of perspective and empathy).

Mindfulness strengthens the activation of the frontal cortex… meaning it integrates the brain so we have a more “whole” sense of being.

And many studies have been conducted to explore meditation benefits for mental health. Below are just a few.

The Data

This study is one of many which proved the mindfulness meditation reduces inflammatory biomarkers and increased capacity to manage stress, which could improve a range of stress-related health complications.

This study found that acceptance is a crucial component of meditation and improved the way people respond to stress by reducing cortisol and blood pressure.

Similarly, this study measured the benefits of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). They found that the mental health of students improved more with mindfulness than a standard set of emotional coping tools. It enhanced their concentration during long days and centered them during exams.

This study found that mindfulness can improve conditioned fear responses (when your body is trained to respond negatively to certain stimulus or situations). This is significant because it means there’s hope for people with a history of trauma and anxiety-related problems.

Finally, this small study found that mindfulness shows promise for people with MS (multiple sclerosis). This is still being investigated but the study found that MS patients were better able to manage their emotions and saw enhanced cognitive processing speeds… two things which are usually negatively impacted by MS.

And that’s only a few. There are many more studies (both published and underway) to better understand the benefits of meditation on mental health and other aspects of wellbeing.

Let’s Wrap This Up

So I recognize this is a lot of information. I just made meditation sound really complicated.

But it’s not. And I hope not to overwhelm you.

I propose you start small. Find a guided meditation on YouTube or via app like Calm or Headspace, and practice for 10 minutes every day. Doesn’t sound like a lot, does it?

Not only will this start building your meditation muscle, but it’s good practice in setting time aside just for you.

You have to feel the benefits for yourself because they’re difficult to articulate in words. Theoretical is always secondary to the actual practice.

I’m excited to embark on this journey with you. 

Stay tuned as I release segments of this meditation series. And update me on your progress!

Stay sane, friend.

Much love,

P

Today’s Tunes: Truth by Balmorhea