My Top 10 Reasons Why Meditation Rocks!

Two months ago now, I sent out an email to all you awesome peeps on my mailing list with a commitment. After years of ignoring a call of my heart & continually going back and forth in my mind with ‘should’ after ‘should’, but never really diving in, I finally felt ready to take the plunge on something I knew I had to do. My commitment to you was that I would engage in a daily ritual/practice for a minimum of 1 hour, and that I would do this every single day for 6 months without fail. Well, I’m here to say a great big “Thank You!” to each of you for holding me to this commitment. This shift into full engagement with daily meditation, yoga, dance, prayer, toning, and stretching has been a life-changer. For one thing, it sure feels good to have the monkey off my back telling me that I need to meditate if I want to step forth into my full potential, and me going, “Oh yea, I’ll get to it.” I was always aware just how much of a struggle this was on my mental and spiritual psyche and it sure feels good to have done something about it. “Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.” ~ Anais Nin “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” ~ Anatole FrancernSince you’ve been there for me, I want to share with you some of the huge benefits I have felt and experienced from daily meditation. When I ask myself, “Why meditate?” these are the answers that come. 1. Total transformation ~ There have been a few times I have woken up in a real grump or funk. You know, grumpy funky - when everything seems slightly off and it’s just one of those ‘bad days’. In the past, this difficult state of being would have easily lasted the entire day, if not longer. I can remember times in my life when this state would last days or even weeks! Each time I have entered my morning ritual in this state of mind, I have come out an hour later completely refreshed, recharged, and in a state of bliss – ready to greet the new day. 2. Stillness as a way of life ~ During meditation, my focus is simple – to connect with and reside in the stillness within. I am continually getting lost in tangents of thoughts, ideas, plans, etc. As I meditate, my focus is to catch these thoughts, let them go, and bring myself back to stillness. This ‘letting go’ has proven to be highly valuable in my daily life. This simple process has significantly strengthened my ability to ‘let go’ of challenges or negative thought patterns that arise throughout my day and to simply move on, creating a fresh start with a fresh state of mind & open heart. 3. Physical strength & healing ~ I have seen some unexpected benefits physically, as well. For some time I have wanted to develop my core strength, but have found it difficult to fit in the time for pilates. After a couple days of meditation, I quickly realized that the sore back I would often experience was unnecessary. I didn’t need to support myself with my back muscles, and I found I could actually sit even more upright by using my core muscles. Over time, they have become stronger and stronger, helping to heal a back injury I had a few years ago. 4. Connection to nature ~ Each morning I rise before the sun and walk a short distance from my home to my meditation studio. On this short little jaunt, I get to connect with the weather of the day – through snow, rain, wind, under starry or cloudy skies, under moonlight or to the new light of dawn, my body has the opportunity to attune to the fresh air of the new day. Through the second-story window, the view before me each morning celebrates stellar sunrises with pink snowy mountain peaks, swaying trees, home to bald eagles & ravens, glistening lake waters, all saturated more and more as spring comes alive with the sweet songs of the arriving birds and their morning symphony. 5. Rejuvenation with rest ~ It’s new for me to consistently be getting up early in the morning. Through the years, I have tended to be a night owl, staying up late and sleeping in to catch up on rest. I have come to realize how crucial proper rest is to function in a peak state. According to my naturopath, every hour of sleep before midnight is worth 2 hours! Now, if I want to catch up on sleep, I do my best to get to bed a little earlier rather than sleep in. Overall, I feel more rested than ever and it has made a massive difference in creating a consistent feeling of being on top of things with a significant decline in feelings of depression and overwhelm. 6. More time for important things ~ Rising in the wee hours of the morning, and getting right down to what’s most compelling is incredibly gratifying. By 7:am I have meditated, stretched my body, toned, danced, done some push-ups and sit-ups, and fed my brain with another inspiring edition of Brian Johnson’s Philosopher’s Notes book summaries. Next week I’ll replace the summaries with a half hour per day dedicated to writing. I would also love to find a way to work in some time for composing music. With the most important things accomplished, my head is clear, and I am ready to dive into a day of productivity. 7. Rhythm is a new thing for me and it’s working! I have always gone with the flow, and followed more of what interests me in the moment rather than planning ahead for what I want to accomplish and fit it into a schedule. I find now that I get more rest, and feel better about how I have spent my time come the end of each day. 8. My singing voice is getting stronger by incorporating about 20 mins of vocal toning into my meditation practice. I’m looking forward to the benefits of this when I get down to recording an album! 9. My connection to my source/god/creator is highly accentuated, bringing more presence into my life and creating a base of deeper faith/acceptance for ‘what is’ in this moment. 10. Taking the necessary steps toward ultimate enlightenment ~ Need I say more? (See my website for the Bonus reason why ~ www.lifecoachbrodie.com/blog/) I resonate with Jack Canfield’s quote from his book, The Success Principles. He says that, “99% is a bitch and 100% is a breeze.” There is so much truth in this. When we fully commit to something, we are sure to succeed because a full commitment leaves no back door open. It’s automatic. We step forth and we get the job done. However, when we only commit 99%, not only do we leave room to fail, we also create a struggle and have to consistently muster up the will power to follow through. By committing 100%, we create ease around what we want most in life by eliminating all the questions and struggle. What are you ready to commit to in your life? I highly encourage you to step forth into what you love & what is most compelling, even if the road there seems potentially challenging. It will only make it more worth it when you accomplish the result. Whether it’s time to put something down or pick something up; reconcile with someone from the past or bring someone new into your life; take up a new practice or join your favourite club … I’m here to support you in all your wildest dreams! Yes, it’s more than possible. If it’s within your sight, it’s within your right. Let’s rock it! Lifecoach BrodiernLiving Fully Life Coachingrnwww.lifecoachbrodie.comrn