Meditate for Mindfulness, Wellness and Money

Meditation is not just for yogis or spiritual people but has been proven to benefit physical health, mental health, and performance. Meditation is simple. The act of meditating requires focus, concentration on breathing and a clear idea of what you would like to achieve. It can be done anywhere - anytime.

The Lakers meditated in the locker room prior to winning the 2009 championship. Sports physiologist and meditation teacher to the Los Angeles Lakers, George Mumford, has worked with basketball greats like Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson.

In an interview he states that when players practice mindful meditation they have the "opportunity to be in the moment. They are playing their best; they can do no wrong, and no matter what happens they are always a step quicker, a step ahead. There's a lack of self-consciousness, there's a relaxed concentration, and there's this sense of effortlessness, of being in the flow." This kind of meditation is useful for strengthening peak performance for athletes, musicians, and students. It can be used in any part of life.

Practicing meditation lessens stress substantially too. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts found that "meditators showed a pronounced shift in activity to the left frontal lobe. This mental shift decreases the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety." In other words, the participants were calmer and happier than before the study. Stress is a constant in our lives, but meditation can control your reaction to stressors. Those with depressive tendencies can benefit from practicing most.

Because of its stress reducing qualities, ailments are also relieved with meditation. Focusing on a particular area of the body coupled with meditative concentrated breathing has been proven to generate more blood flow and oxygen to that particular body part - alleviating pain. Studies show that a meditating yogi entered a state similar to that produced by pain-numbing drugs.

Studies also show that the brain physically changes through the practice of meditating. Meditation practice creates better awareness and better inner workings of the brain. It can be trained and exercised to perform better, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin.

Aside from its medical benefits, meditation can be taken to other levels. Chanting can be included to the practice to achieve spiritual growth, insight into your desires or goals and enlightenment. Some even practice money meditating. Meditation overall is good medicine which should be accepted and practiced by more considering this hectic society we live in today.