December is a great month of reflection as we think about the changes we’d like to make in the coming new year. It’s when we create our New Year’s Resolutions. Some take this tradition quite seriously by writing them down to make them seem more tangible. Research shows that 79% of all resolutions center on health. Many refer to this resolution process as a “fresh start” effect. It’s when we set aside our past habits and behaviors and aspire for change. And psychologists tell us New Year Resolutions can help motivate aspirational behaviors that make it more likely to stick to those goals than ones that were made with no specific dates in mind.
And one of the greatest tools of “change” available to us is a practice of Mindfulness Meditation. It is believed that globally between 200 and 500 million people meditate. Since 2012 the number of people practicing meditation has tripled.
So, you ask, why Mindfulness? Neuroscientific and Psychological studies have shown that a daily practice of Mindfulness Meditation is a strong and effective catalyst for change. Change itself is rather easy, but it is our resistance to change that makes it so difficult. Past experiences, behavioral patterns and how we react to our thoughts have been programmed into our brain. And, it takes time to create new neuropaths in the brain.
And this is where mindfulness comes to the rescue. Through a daily practice, we learn to become more aware of our thoughts and the learned reactions that constantly trigger detrimental and unhealthy responses such as stress, anxiety, self-doubt, depression and a host of physical manifestations that can lower our immune system, create illness, aches and pains, etc.
We learn to combat resistance to change through non-judgmental awareness, through stillness, through acceptance, and through present moment awareness. We become more open to change in our lives when we learn to become less reactive to our thoughts; and, that’s precisely how mindfulness benefits us.
If your goal to attain a healthier lifestyle, to reduce stress and anxiety, to become more productive and to find less resistance to positive change in your life, then you may want to consider MINDFULNESS MEDITATION. Here at the Meditation Tree, we offer ONLINE classes privately or via groups. Our next series of 6 weekly Zoom Mindfulness Classes begins Saturday, January 11th at 10:30 AM PST. Just visit our Meditation Tree website to register or learn more about the practice of Mindfulness.