Thread by @MarkShpuntov

I used to think Meditation was mainly a stress reduction technique; I was wrong.

Here's why I meditate:

👇 A short thread on meditation. 🧵

It's true. Stress reduction IS a positive side-effect of mediation, just like it is a positive side-effect of physical exercise.

However, the real benefit of meditation is so much greater than mere stress relief.

Meditation is an exercise to strengthen the mind, just like working out is an exercise to strengthen the body.

And just like working out, a session can be difficult and tiring, and at the same time, be incredibly beneficial for your growth.

I used to judge the value of my meditation by how relaxed I felt after.

When I had an easy session and my mind was calm and peaceful, I felt like I did a good job.

When I had a difficult session where my mind was running around in circles the whole time, I felt like I failed.

Now, I have a totally different perspective.

Since the purpose of meditation is to train the mind, the more hectic your mind is during a session, the more opportunity you have to strengthen your mind.

You might have had the worst session ever, and you might feel zero stress-relief afterwards, but the work you did during that session is exactly what meditation is all about.

The practice of meditation is all about noticing and becoming aware of your mental chatter while choosing not to get absorbed in it.

This is is what prevents you from being hijacked by your mind.

Meditation teaches you how to use your mind, instead of letting your mind use you.

The more you do it, the more you start to notice how crazy your mind and your emotions really are.

You start to see the automatic thought patterns your mind gets trapped in.

You start to notice your triggers, your insecurities, and your doubts.

You start to see the invisible strings that control all of your behaviour.

It's only when you become aware of how your brain manipulates your behaviour, that you can finally take control and change it.

You no longer have to be at the mercy of your automatic thoughts and behaviours. You now get to choose how you respond.

Sure, meditation might offer stress relief and relaxation, but that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits you will receive from practicing it.

Question: How has meditation affected you and what are the biggest benefits you have noticed from practicing it?

#meditation #Mindfulness