World Meditation Day 2022 and the Power of Mindfulness
Today marks World Meditation Day 2022.
Meditation practice is something so personal and unique to each and every one of us. It is the ability to change your mind. The ability to choose new thoughts, patterns, habits, and behaviour. It is about getting clear on what you want, who you are and what you’ll stand for in life.
But, did you know that meditation has the power to positively affect and improve performance in many different walks of life? Think; Athletic careers, home life, mental wellbeing, and corporate spaces. Every single one of these spaces as a collective and the individuals within them can benefit from incorporating a meditation practice into their routines. Let’s dig a little deeper.
Athletic Performance x Meditation
Breathing – something that is imperative for us every day, but even more important for those exerting their bodies and energy on a daily basis through sport. Breathing can benefit athletes in both performance and recovery through the use of different breathwork practices.
Looking to increase performance in sport? Use the 5.5 breath per minute framework to avoid the over-release of CO2 that impacts the release of red blood cells to the muscles, resulting in lower performance. This framework is an efficient breathing exercise that is proven to reduce fatigue and increases stamina.
If recovery is the name of the game, opt for a 4-7-8 breathwork practice (Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds) based in the Eastern philosophy of pranayama. This framework is designed to lower stress hormones in the body – regulating one’s heart rate and allowing the body to enter recovery mode.
Need some data to back up these claims even more? This study showed that a “five-week mindfulness training program with two 30-minute sports practice sessions per week positively affected the participating athletes' endurance performance and cognitive functions, including executive functions, in addition to increasing the efficiency of conflict resolution in neural processes.”
Home Life x Meditation
Are you a parent or have a multi-person household? Then meditation can benefit you and your family! Becoming a more conscious and mindful parent, child, grandparent or spouse can create a stillness and balance in your home life. A study run by Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry found that when mindfulness practices were implemented, “Children described . . . better sleep patterns, less anxiety . . . and at school more able to concentrate, (and had) less conflict. Parents reported feeling happier, and less stressed”.
Going forward, try creating space in your home for open-discussion on mindfulness and meditation practices – this doesn’t mean trying to wrangle your kids to sit down for lengthy meditations! Anywhere from 2-5 minutes with children is beneficial, and if you’re looking for something longer, try to carve out some time in your morning or evenings to sit down and be present with yourself in that moment.
Personal Mental Wellbeing x Meditation
It’s been proven time and time again that incorporating a meditation practice into your daily routine can greatly improve your mental wellbeing, whether you practice to give yourself more mental space, reduce stress and anxiety, or simply to wake up or wind down your days with a mindful routine.
Research has shown that incorporating a meditation practice into your life can actually preserve the brain through aging, slow down “mind-wandering” thoughts that lead to individuals being less happy, reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and pain, and more!
Career Performance x Meditation
This is Chapter Two’s bread and butter. I love to say that “Mindfulness is your silent edge in business”, and I mean it! Mindfulness connects us to our shared humanity, even at work.
Meditation is one of the most powerful and untapped practices in today’s workplace. With 82% of employees reporting overwhelm, stress, anxiety and depression, the demands on our employees have never been higher. Implementing a meditation and mindfulness into the workplace – whether you do it for your team or are creating a practice for yourself – can help to reduce stress and anxiety during the work day, increase work performance and efficiency and help employees expand their minds and think outside the box.
Want to take the first step in trying out mindfulness with your team? Here’s a quick 3-minute Mindful Meeting Starter that you can open your next meeting with!
Before I sign off, I want to extend my gratitude for joining me on this journey and for being open and willing to share your practice with me. Remember to honour yourself today and every day moving forward - you deserve it.
P.S. If you're looking to try out a fresh guided meditation today, you can find some amazing resources (from myself and others) over on Insight Timer – click here to refresh your practice now.
