What’s all the rage?
Finally there’s sound clinical data that proves that meditating on a daily basis has a positive effect on our performance at work.
A study that was published in 2007 by two neuroscientists doing research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Stress Management Program, proved that even small doses of daily meditation improves attention and focus. Also, Dr. Giuseppe Pagnoni, from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University’s School of Medicine, agrees and explains that meditation trains the mind to focus by directing blood flow to select parts of the brain. When this happens, we become better at tuning out distractions and being in the here and now. Both being essential for performing at our peak.
And all it takes is 20 to 30 minutes a day.
If you feel that you don’t have this time to set aside everyday, I feel that you need an overhaul – so I’m going to offer you a life-line. Get yourself a copy of the book: The 4 Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss (www.fourhourworkweek.com). Trust me, it will help you change how you view productivity and time management in general. I hope that when you rethink these two aspects of your life, that you will make time for what’s important in life. Meditating for 20 to 30 minutes each day happens to be one of those things.
What does it take to meditate?
Learning to meditate does not have to be a costly exercise. In fact, my first exposure ever to meditation was through a tape that a friend lent me in college.
Because there are many ways to meditate, in fact the Meditation Society of America lists 108 techniques on their website (www.meditationsociety.com), you may have to try a few ways before you find the one that you connect with. Through the years, I’ve tended to gravitate towards the Zen technique mainly because I find that it’s frills-free and very simple. Here’s where I got information: www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php I love the pictures on this site because it makes it easy for my visually inclined brain to follow.
While you’re learning and even for the more advanced I highly recommend attending a directed group session. Every so often I go to a group session to give my practice a boost or whenever I feel that my practice is slipping. Aside from getting your questions answered, it’s likely that you’ll get to hear from people who have been practicing for longer than you. Buddhist temples and community colleges are both great places to access directed sessions. The most I’ve ever ‘donated’ at one of these sessions has been $10.
It has always been worth every penny!