On & Beyond Meditation

In need of some “me time”? Meditation has gained popularity over the last years, and with good reason. In these fast-paced and noisy times, it offers a moment of silence and a powerful soul searching tool.

Meditation is synonymous to peace, self-reflection, and relaxation. It’s your time away from the daily turmoil created by worldly factors like work pressure, traffic, family issues, etc. In general, meditation has been illustrated as a practice commonly performed in vast, open spaces away from the hustle and bustle of the city – usually in a lush park or a beautiful beach. Though parks and beaches do make an ideal place for meditation, one doesn’t really have to ’give up’ should they fail to find such spots.

Meditation is a perfect time to focus on yourself, your needs and your wants, and you surely want to make it special. Meditating can be done almost everywhere, but whether you opt for a meditation travel experience or you prefer to do it at home, it’s important to have your own place to relax without being distracted; your own personal sanctuary where you can be completely honest with yourself.

Whenever we hear the word ‘Meditation’, the first picture that comes to mind is yogis and saffron-robed gurujis sitting quietly on the banks of a river or in an isolated place, trying to connect something greater than ourselves.

For many people, the stresses and strains of day-to-day life can be quite hard to overcome. However, if you feel like you are unable to maintain balance over a challenging life situation, meditation could really help to solve that issue. 

Being abruptly awaken by your alarm clock can make it difficult to start your day with optimism. Add to this the lack of time and having to rush to get ready, the first minutes of your day can become very stressful.

When we’re young, we tend to ignore the significance of leading a balanced life.

“Everyone’s got a past. But the past does not equal the future – unless you live there.”

– Tony Robbins 

We all have past mistakes that we would rather not rehash. Yet for many of us, the past acts as an anchor that weighs us down, often leaving us feeling stuck and powerless. 

Before you make the assumption that I’ve been an early riser all my life, let me stop you there, as this was definitely not the case. In fact, I had spent most of my late teen years and early 20’s “thriving” by constantly burning the midnight oil. I was convinced that sleep was overrated, “I can sleep as much as I want when I’m dead“, I thought to myself.  As a result, I was getting by with as little as 3 to 4 hours of sleep each night.

Meditation has brought about success for those who have been diligent to practice it. The benefits of meditation, which include increased focus, clarity and calm in times of stress, have made it possible for many to achieve their goals in life.

As with everything else, starting a meditation practice is easy, but maintaining it daily for years to come is when the challenge really begins. The many distractions and obstacles that we encounter can easily set our practice back.

Mindful meditation is far from a modern wellness trend of Western culture.

Sharing a flat with another person has tons of advantages. Saving a lot of money, leaving more for yourself, and having company most of the time is just the tip of the iceberg.

As our time is consumed by our jobs and other obligations, there isn’t much of it left for us to take care of ourselves. And, as we keep losing touch with what’s inside us, this lack of self-care can also take a toll on our bodies.

What is your meaning of a relaxing holiday? For some, it's lying back, drenching up the sun and disregarding life's anxieties and strains. For others, it's traveling to new destinations; and for some more people, staying at home is the most relaxing thing in the world. 

One of the strangest habits of human beings is to separate the physical from the psychological. We’ll focus on either one or the other, and fill our lives with stress and tension as we wonder why we always feel so tired and achy.

As a yoga teacher and a rookie meditator, I’ve tried to convince many others on the benefit of meditation and urged them to give it a try. Many are receptive to the idea, but many still want to see the cold, hard facts – the scientific proofs that meditation is actually good for you.

As a yogi, meditation has come up quite a bit in my practice over the years. My teacher has advocated for at least 1 hour of meditation time in a day, where in that hour I learn to still my mind, chant mantras and quiet the world outside so that the inner self will emerge. 

Our vacations are almost a sacred thing to us. We dream about them months in advance, longing for that moment when we’ll finally get to rest and let go of worries for a while as we lounge somewhere, drink in hand, mind full of happy indulgence.

A healthy brain is absolutely vital for good brain function and to fight off mental illnesses. The best way to attain it is by increasing blood flow to the brain.

With improved blood flow, you can see a rapid improvement in executive functions such as focus, cognition and acuity, willpower, better control over emotions, and most important of all, sharpened short and long-term memory. 

Choice. It is a powerful word, one that places its commander at the helm of the ship. We often hear people say: “I do not have a choice.” “I have to do this.” “I have to do that.” These statements are dangerous because they plant the seeds for so much stress in our world.

Meditation has, for centuries, been used as a tool for healing and getting to know oneself inside and out. Today it is primarily used as a tool to answer the tough questions in life. Questions like, “Who am I?”, and “Why am I here?”

Millennials have joined the mad rush to compete with time. We’ve reached a point in society where the fast life is highly valued and being busy is praised, but being still and appreciating the present moment is just as important. 

If you look up the word ‘motivation’ in a dictionary it is described as ‘reason or reasons for acting in a particular way’. Essentially, motivation is the driving force behind everything we do in life, and the part that states ‘in a particular way’ implies that we can be motivated to make both actions that have a positive and negative outcome. 

There’s a term used in psychology called Impact Bias, or our predisposition to overestimate the impact of future events in our current state.

What's the most lethal health condition that people suffer from these days?  Cancer or other "terminal" diseases are sure to be the first that spring to mind, but there is another silent killer that is rife among many people today. That's right, it is anxiety.

We all strive for a lucrative career, luxury, and comfort so that we can lead a happy and fulfilled life. We leave no stone unturned to amass the wealth and materialistic goods for living an opulent life. Many of us believe that money and career growth bring peace and contentment. However, in reality, this is a fallacy. Worldly pleasures might make a life hassle-free but these do not result in long-lasting peace. In this article, we will unearth the deep secrets of meditation to increase happiness and personal growth.

There are two kinds of people; those who need to meditate each morning and those who need their ‘coffee fix’ to jump-start their day. But, what if we told you that the two go hand in hand? 

Personally, I don’t get why every working space doesn’t already have a meditation zone. To me, it makes perfect sense for offices to set up meditation spaces and encourage (if not demand) everybody to take advantage of them. The health and productivity benefits that they would get would more than make up for the space cost. Unfortunately, that’s not how things are right now.

I must admit that I didn’t really know much about mindfulness until I started doing social media for BookMeditationRetreats.com. In my day to day job, I get to read quite a bit about it, going through articles I schedule on our social platforms. And while the concept slowly became familiar, practicing it, not so much. Sure, I’d go hiking and I would immediately become more aware of my surroundings but only because I’ve always loved hiking. Same for traveling and exploring new places. But being aware when it comes to my daily routine, let’s just not talk about that.

The coming of spring is a great time for new beginnings and there is hardly a better way to kick off a fresh start than by cleansing your mind and spirit. But where do you even begin? Meditation is a great way to become in tune with yourself and rewire your brain for happiness and success.

Whether you’re new to meditation or are looking for some inspiration to help restart your practice, here are just a few good books to help inspire your journey to inner peace.

If you think the entire world might just blow up if you took one second to go off the grid, here are five good reasons to introduce regular digital detox into your life.

Peace, silence, and nothing but nature all around you. How great does that sound for a great holiday?

Do you ever wish you could dedicate more time to your meditation, but find out that you are consistently held up? The moment you think of starting your meditation practice, you remember that you should be doing something else.

Many people are confused when it comes to yoga and meditation. They think that these two are the same. But the truth is, they are not. When you take a closer look at it, there are many differences between yoga and meditation.

I began teaching meditation in 2006 and opened a meditation center in Chicago in 2013. The center was specifically geared towards teaching how to develop a solid, reliable meditation practice for total beginners, newbies (those who tried and didn’t continue) and intermediate students.

When a workshop on breathing techniques popped up on my Facebook feed, I thought it was a sign. I had just gone through a series of anxiety episodes that manifested in various ways, including a feeling of unease, not being able to focus my thoughts, terrible sleep and bad dreams, chest pains, and my least favorite, controlled breathing – it’s unpleasant and very tiring. The longest it lasted was 6 months, so when it started happening again, I was worried, which is why I was interested in attending the workshop.

Crystals and gems have been around since before we, humans, ever set foot on this planet. They’ve been forged in the Earth’s underbelly, under immense pressure, or in various mysterious and fascinating contexts, such asteroid impacts.

In most cases, people tend to think that meditation is just a procedure of clearing the mind from stressful thoughts. However, it is essential to understand that meditation goes well beyond that and among its abundant benefits, there’s an improved sex life!

Humans are the only living beings on the earth who can express their thoughts in the form of writing. Call it an evolutionary success of the higher primates or an act of adaptation, the complex human brains show remarkable feature in terms of superiority in the animal kingdom.

Winter months can be considered as the cold and flu season for certain people who look at these months with a sense of dread. An occasional cold is a natural part to develop your immune system. However, congestion could be a struggle if you have sinus problems. The good news is that meditation can relieve winter congestion.

The ultra-modern world of today is marred by distractions. Our mind and body constantly run a race to meet our needs and desires. Working nonstop is the need of the hour and, if we don’t do so, our survival becomes endangered.

Yoga is a gripping activity due to its various benefits, which we are able to experience in our day-to-day life. Yoga is also something that you can perform anywhere, be it your home or some remote open location, mainly because it needs no equipment.

A close friend once told me about someone who had a life-changing experience during a past-life regression session. 

Meditation is an ancient art that is still used in our modern day albeit for different reasons. Some find it therapeutic and others use it for physical healings. The art itself is practiced amongst all cultures due to the physical and mental health benefits people obtain from the practice.

Here I am, the perfect example of someone who is impatient. I stomp my feet if things don’t go my way. I fidget all the time. And when I must wait for something, I’m constantly checking my wristwatch. Being delayed when I travel is my worst nightmare. Unfortunately, my attempts at slowing down through breathing have only worked exactly two times when my trusty fitness band guided me. I was never even tempted to try again.

The way we approach our life is reflected in our lifestyles. Whatever we eat, drink, speak, or decide greatly influences the quality and direction of our lives. As we age, the ramifications of our lifestyle activities, more often than not, start appearing. We either are able to maintain our vitality or develop life-threatening illnesses. 

Unbeknownst to us, we put our bodies through the wringer every day. From working long hours at the office to exercising at the gym, and late nights partying, our bodies work hard each day. Recharging your body’s energy reserves is very important. However, this can only be done by eating energy boosting foods, which should also be healthy enough to keep your body in good shape. 

“The most important relationship in your life is the relationship you have with yourself. Because no matter what happens.. you will ALWAYS be with yourself.”

– Dianne Von Furstenberg

While it’s no question that relationships, whether it’s one we have with our significant other, our family or friends, are to be cherished, the most important and by far the longest relationship we will ever have in our life is actually one we have with ourselves.

The way our body and brain react to meditation is greatly affected by the state of mind we find ourselves in during that particular moment. Believe it or not, a great deal of our mental alertness depends on the food that we consume. According to the Ayurvedic system, there is a connection between how we eat and how we think or react to certain situations.

Many of us have bought into this absurd idea that in order for one to have a balanced life, one would need to be either a ‘Superman’ or a ‘Superwoman’. We have been lead to believe that we could only attain balance if we were to simultaneously and effortlessly have it together in ALL aspects of our lives. But is this really true? 

The Internet is a place of abundant knowledge when searching for all things meditation. But with quality knowledge also comes unnecessary information that we’d wished someone would sieve out.

Ever had one of those mornings where you feel frazzled and out of sorts, where you don’t quite know what to do next after that morning cup of coffee because your to-do list keeps getting longer by the minute? 

Cursed with the "Monkey Mind"? Well, don't worry you are not alone. Many people find meditation difficult because of the many thoughts that rush through their mind as soon as they attempt to sit completely still to meditate. 

There are many forms or types of meditation. And thank goodness for that, because there are many types of people afterall! We don’t all fit into the same “category” as we all have our individual identity so it only makes sense that we’ll have different preferences when it comes to forms of meditation that suits us like a glove. If you have yet to find out what yours is, this article may just help to find it. 

Keeping healthy is important for a number of reasons. Not only does it help protect your vital organs and protects against diseases, but it makes you feel and look great. Over the last 10 years, more and more people are realising the importance of eating healthy, cutting back on the sugar and saturated fats, reducing red meat intake and consumption of animal products. In Britain alone, the number of vegans has risen by 360% in the last decade.

No matter where we came from or what our backgrounds and beliefs are, we have one thing in common: we all want happiness. Despite our yearning for a happier life, for many of us, happiness can appear to be ever so elusive.

Do you often work till the wee hours of the night, and then go home to find that though you’re mentally exhausted, you’re still finding it difficult to sleep? 

Constantly finding yourself with a million and one things to do? If so, you probably know all too well that when we’re drowning in tasks and responsibilities, staying focused and getting things done can seemingly feel impossible.

Though most of us recognize the benefits of investing time and effort on physical health and fitness, this is hardly the case when it comes to mental health. Admittedly, I too failed to acknowledge its importance but it all changed years ago when I found myself working for a non-profit organization which focuses on providing mental health support.

Are you constantly feeling stressed at work, getting more and more disillusioned by your job? Or are you feeling demotivated and find yourself dragging your feet to work each day? 

For most of us, waking up in the morning and starting the day off on a good note can be a challenging task. Our minds are constantly plagued by negative thoughts about the past or the present challenges that we are about to face.

If we asked ourselves what is it that we’re searching for day after day, the answer is quite simple. Happiness. Everyone’s goal in life is to be happy and this manifests in many different ways. For some, buying material goods makes them happy. Others find happiness in food.

In the blink of an eye, we’re here again, at the very beginning of a brand new year. As we sit down and plan our resolutions for the year, think about what would most benefit us? What do we need in life?

Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged; it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.

– Arthur Somers Roche

Sometimes nothing feels quite as awful than anxiety. In this state of mind, we tend to think of only the worst case scenarios. It robs us of our joy, makes us lose focus and leaves us feeling as if we have no control over our own lives.

For most people, meditation is a practice to help calm the busy mind. While this is true, we often overlook the other useful benefits that meditation has on our body. 

As we gather together with family and friends to enjoy our hearty dinners during this festive season, it is very easy to fall in the trap of over indulging, which can cause queasiness, unnecessary weight gain, and discomfort.

Though I’ve been meditating on and off for years, in December of last year, I decided to make daily meditation one of my new year resolutions for 2016. This time around, I set out to instill a positive habit that I will stick to for the rest of my life.

The meditation journey can be daunting and challenging at times as it is personal and a relationship between you and your inner self. Often, many give up the practice simply because they feel that they are not getting enough support to guide them through.

Sitting for 8 hours a day at your office desk can be taxing not only on your body but also your mind. Taking some time off to clear your mind can do wonders for you as it helps increase your productivity and reduce the built-up stress. 

For many of us, the shock of the recent US Presidential results has left us in a state of stress and anxiety over the uncertainty of the future. While we can’t control what happens next, we can certainly learn to better manage our anxieties. 

It is commonly known that meditation is an extremely beneficial practice. But did you know, that meditation is also beneficial for children? So profound are the benefits of meditation for children that schools across the US have started to replace detention with meditation. 

Now that you’ve decided to embark on a journey of meditation, it’s time to choose a method of meditation that is best for you. There are many meditation techniques that you can try out, but sometimes the abundance of options can be overwhelming especially if you’re a beginner. 

We’ve heard it a million times over: Meditation is extremely beneficial. But a daily meditation routine can be hard to include in our packed schedules. Even if we were free, there’s still that palm-sized object we call smartphones that takes our time. Good news though, because our phones are now going to help us find time through meditation apps! 

Many of us can be silent for an hour a day, sometimes two. Some can go a whole day in silence. But how many of us can do ten days of absolute silence, muting our words and slowing down our pace? 

As the popularity of wellness travelling rises, thousands of travel programs have also emerged to satisfy the high demand. And with more options available, it only gets harder to choose the perfect meditation retreat program, especially for first timers!

Before going into any discussions on meditation, we should try to understand the basic terminology which will be helpful in grasping the fundamentals. What is consciousness? How does it relate to meditation? Read more to find out. 

Meditation is achieving results in children through schools as was proven by vistacian valley school near San Francisco during their quiet time period of 15 minutes plus in adults in maintaining clarity of thinking for making decisions and profound wisdom to name but a few. In patanjali yoga sutras in Sanskrit it says the highest yoga is yoga Chita vritti Noradha to stop the fluctuations of the mind coming from silence and meditation.

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You might think that meditation is only for religious people. But that’s not true. Meditation, as well as meditation retreats could be for everyone. For those who are new to meditation, let's start with breaking some of the myths about meditation. 

The Hague, The Netherlands – Today, BookMeditationRetreats.com, a meditation travel booking platform, is launched to offer the largest selection of worldwide retreats and holidays. When travel meets modern technology and an ancient practice, it results in a user friendly site that provides 300 meditation packages where all can browse, compare and book the right experience in just a few clicks.