Given the growing wealth of scientific evidence on the benefits of meditation and the fact that it is an important spiritual practice of my Faith, it is a skill I have been working to develop and improve for a large portion of my life. But during the coronavirus pandemic, as the weeks have turned into months, I have come to rely even more on meditation to bring some tranquility into life as it gets increasingly more difficult to remain in social isolation.

Meditation did not come easily to me. I loved the concept, and since I practiced various forms of yoga and had learnt progressive relaxation techniques as a part of my psychology degree, I just assumed I would take to it like a duck to water, but not so much…

I think this happened for two reasons—firstly, I expected to be good at it straight away and when my mind inevitably wandered over and over again, I got frustrated with myself and thought it was just something I could not learn, and secondly, my expectations of the outcome were too high. 

To deal with the first issue I took a step back and decided that maybe I needed some training from a mentor or experienced practitioner, even if they took a more secular approach to meditation than I wished to. This ended up being a huge help to me. I learnt how to deal more effectively with mind wandering, how to be graceful with myself as I learnt, that I will have some sessions that are so much better than others (not all are equal, and that is just as it should be), and various techniques of breathing and focus, etc. Really this was a process of learning how to deal with all those physical distractions that come with being a human being in a human body.

Once these techniques and skills became easier for me I was able to incorporate them into a practice of my own that was molded around my spiritual beliefs and relationship with God, which felt much more meaningful to me. And eventually this developed into a practice that is deeply fulfilling, reinvigorating, and filled with inspiration.

Research has shown (and our understanding of this practice is constantly growing) that meditation can have a profound impact on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, increasing emotional well-being, assisting with pain management, improving sleep, memory and concentration, improving immune response, decreasing inflammation, increasing self-awareness, and developing mindfulness in everyday life. 

If all of that is not enough, more importantly, meditation has profound spiritual effects:

Through meditation the Higher Self is experienced. —Bhagavad Gita

It is an axiomatic fact that while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is revealed…

The spirit of man is itself informed and strengthened during meditation; through it affairs of which man knew nothing are unfolded before his view. Through it he receives Divine inspiration, through it he receives heavenly food. —‘Abdu’l-Bahá 

In the process of meditation not only are we connecting with God and tapping into inspiration from a higher source, but it it is through this process of deep connection with our higher self (our soul) that we can reflect on where we are in life—are we doing better today than we did yesterday? Are we growing spiritually, are we kinder, are we more loving, is our connection to God deeper? Meditation offers us that period of both physical and mental relaxation and recuperation, but also of spiritual rejuvenation, inner reflection, and inspiration. 

As beneficial as meditation is for the self, it is important to carry the insight and inspiration we gain into the realm of action, so we see the fruit of that internal work. It is not enough to meditate on the virtues of love and kindness, for example, but we must also go forth and show those virtues through our lives and actions. If we receive the gift of ideas and inspiration through the practice of mediation, we should seek to find ways to bring tangible results through action, so that those gifts we receive don’t live and die in realm of dreams, but we and others are able to benefit from them.

Prayer and meditation are very important factors in deepening the spiritual life of the individual, but with them must go also action and example, as these are the tangible results of the former. Both are essential. —Shoghi Effendi

Do you use meditation on a regular basis? How has it helped in your life?