What’s It Like to Be in a
State of Meditation?

What’s it like to be in a state of meditation? The mind chatter starts to slow or even stops; there is a clarity of mind and a feeling of expansiveness. A sense of peace and wholeness becomes present. Time seems to stand still.

Meditation is an opportunity, an invitation, to slow down for a few moments and take a break from the busyness and stress of daily life. You get centered, balanced and let go of stress and its symptoms. It is like a taking a mini vacation. It is also an opportunity to care for your spirit!

And the benefits of meditation don’t stop as soon as your session is done, it carries throughout the day and night. A regular practice of meditation helps you sleep better, lowers blood pressure, reduces pain in your body, enhance mental focus and creativity, reduces anxiety and depression, improves your mood, and helps you live longer. And some research suggests that it helps slow aging as well.

Meditation also helps us connect to our spirit or universal consciousness and has been used by people of faith, ascetics, and laypeople on the spiritual path for thousands of years for this very reason.

Sometimes it can be challenging to develop a regular practice, but meditation can make such a big difference in your life that the effort or “non-effort” is definitely worth it.  I like to think of it as a practice of cultivating grace.

When I teach meditation classes I am always touched by the look of peace and contentment on people’s faces when they come out of meditation. The sound of their voices and even the way they move is softer, more at ease than when they first entered the room to begin practice.

Maybe you are already a regular meditator, but if you aren’t, getting started is as simple as selecting a mantra and repeating this sound over and over again for a short period of time—anywhere from ten to twenty minutes is a good goal to start with. Some time-tested mantras include Om (The sound of creation), Ham Sa (I am that), Om Namah Shivaya, (I bow to Shiva) and Om Mani Padme Hum (Hail the jewel in the lotus).

Keep in mind that your mind will wonder, that is what you mind does. When you catch yourself doing this, simply bring your attention back to your mantra. Most likely you will have to do this many times during your session. With practice, this will get easier and easier, and your ability to focus will increase.

Namaste!