7 ways in which meditation can save your life

Why are there more people who drink alcohol than people who meditate? Why do more people eat fast food than they exercise? Smoking is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, as is poor nutrition and alcohol consumption, so why do we love everything that is bad for us and keep away from the things that are good for us?

Presumably it is because we don't like each other very much. Once the self-defense cycle begins, it takes a tremendous amount of determination and commitment to make changes. And the mind is a perfect servant, as all that is said will do, but it is a terrible master in that it does not help us to help ourselves.

Which can be even more difficult when our mind is like an unbalanced monkey, jumping from one thought or drama to another, without ever allowing us time to be calm, peaceful and immobile.

But meditation can save our lives! This may seem far-fetched, but meditation is a direct way to traverse the chaotic mind of the apes by constantly making excuses and supporting our neurosis. Is critical. Yet so many people pay so little attention. Drinking alcohol can kill and meditation can save, but there are many more people who drink.

Meditation in seven ways can save your life

Chill Out Stress is known to be responsible for 70 to 90 percent of illnesses and quiet time is the most effective remedy for a busy, overworked mind. In a state of stress, it is easy to lose touch with inner peace, compassion and kindness; in a relaxed state, the mind clears up and we connect with a deeper sense of purpose and selflessness. Your breath is your best friend. Every time you feel the stress rising, the heart closing, the mind breaking down, you concentrate only on your breathing and repeat slowly: breathing in, calm your body and mind; exhaling, I smile.
Releasing Anger and Fear Anger can lead to hatred and violence. If we don't accept our negative feelings, we are likely to repress or deny them and, if denied, they can cause shame, depression and anger. Meditation allows us to see how selfishness, aversion and ignorance create infinite dramas and fears. It may not be a cure for everyone, it will not make all our difficulties disappear or will suddenly transform our weaknesses into strengths, but it allows us to release self-centered and angry attitudes and generate deep inner happiness. This can be very liberating.
Generating Appreciation A lack of appreciation easily leads to abuse and exploitation. So, start by taking a moment just to appreciate the chair you're sitting on. Consider how the chair was made: the wood, cotton, wool or other fibers, the trees and plants that were used, the land that made the trees grow, the sun and the rain, the animals that perhaps gave life , the people who made the materials, the factory where the chair was built, the designer, the carpenter and the seamstress, the shop that sold it - all this just to make you sit here, now. So extend this appreciation to every part of you, then to everyone and everything in your life. For this I am grateful.
Develop kindness and compassion Every time you see or feel pain, in yourself or in another, every time you make a mistake or say something stupid and you are almost about to get down, every time you think of someone you are going through a difficult moment with, whenever you see someone who is struggling, is upset or irritated, just stop and bring loving kindness and compassion. Breathe gently, repeat silently: That you are well, that you are happy, that you are full of loving kindness.
There is a reservoir of fundamental goodness in all beings, but we often lose touch with this natural expression of care and friendship. In meditation, we go from seeing our essentially selfish and ego-related nature to recognizing that we are an integral part of a much larger whole, and when the heart opens we can bring compassion to our fallibility and humanity. Meditation is therefore the most compassionate gift we can give ourselves.

Practicing harmlessness Simply with the intent to cause less pain we can bring greater dignity to our world, so that harm is replaced by harmlessness and disrespect with respect. Ignoring someone's feelings, asserting our despair, not loving our appearance or seeing ourselves as incompetent or unworthy are all causes of personal harm. How much resentment, guilt or shame are we holding back, thus perpetuating such harmfulness? Meditation allows us to transform it by recognizing our essential goodness and the preciousness of all life.
Share and care Without sharing and taking care we live in an isolated, disconnected and lonely world. We take meditation "out of the pillow" and carry it out as we become more deeply aware of our connection with all beings. From being self-centered, we become centered on the other, concerned about everyone's well-being. Therefore, reaching out beyond ourselves becomes a spontaneous expression of genuine generosity seen in our ability to let go of conflicts or forgive mistakes, or in our desire to help those in need. We are not alone here, we all walk on the same earth and breathe the same air; the more we participate, the more connected and fulfilled we are.
Being with what it is The very nature of life includes change, the unsatisfied desire and the desire for things to be different from what they are, all this brings discontent and dissatisfaction. Almost all we do is get something: if we do it, we will get it; if we do, then it will happen. But in meditation we do it just to do it. There is no other purpose than to be here, in the present moment, without trying to go anywhere or achieve anything. No judgment, no right or wrong, simply be aware.
Meditation allows us to see clearly, to witness our thoughts and behaviors and reduce our personal involvement. Without such a practice of self-reflection there is no way to curb the demands of the ego. Leaving the conceptual mind, however, does not mean entering anything or nothing; it does not mean that there is no connection with a worldly reality. Rather, it is entering sanity and, more importantly, into even greater connection. So we no longer need to hurt ourselves!