Arriving Home :: The Return On Investment Of Meditation
The Return On Investment When It Comes To Meditation
As you become familiar with my approach to meditation, you may notice a few consistent themes I bring up. One being that meditation requires us to show up. It take effort and a willingness to give a little, especially at first.
In today's world, when we think of "investments" we often are referring to money, materials or objects. Thinking of investment as something we can extend to our mental, emotional and spiritual lives isn't quite in the headlines.
In reality though, each time you meditate you are making an investment. You are putting your time, energy, attention and sometimes even money into a period of practice. Therefore, you may on some level be hoping that the return will show up eventually too.
What I love about this concept of looking at meditation as a way of investing into our hopes, dreams, desires and in the way we want to be showing up in the world, is that it also requires us to invest with a lot of trust and faith. Different than the other type of investing where you put in a certain amount money and you know you will be getting a specific amount, service or object in return. What you invest in when you meditate is often not a known return, and in my experience you get MORE than what you even initially wished for.
What You Are Investing In
When it comes to ROI for meditation, it's helpful to contemplate what it is you are initially investing in.
- Health: We know through clinical research that our physical health is enhanced and improved with meditation.
- Happiness: We all want to feel better. Whether it is something you read about meditation or your intuition is suggesting that there is more happiness for you through meditation, the synopsis is that people do experience more facets of happiness after meditating.
- Peace of Mind: "I can't seem to slow down my thoughts" is a common reason for coming to meditation. After spending consistent time in practice, you learn how to navigate the thoughts you have and meet them more skillfully.
- Awareness: The ability to mindfully observe and feel connected to all that is happening moment-to-moment is a desire for many when they begin a meditation practice.
If you begin to meditate and stay with it consistently, you will most likely experience a HIGHER level of health, happiness, peace of mind and awareness.
Your Investment
So what do you need to put in to receive these returns?
- Time
- Effort
- Discipline
- Determination
- Resources
- Trust
- Faith
What meditation asks of you is that you become an active participant in what you want and what you receive. If you show up to meditate and just sit there with your eyes closed, not bringing your attention back to the present moment, then you may feel a little more relaxed after your meditation from sitting there, but the real effects are still waiting for you at the door.
I always suggest to explore what you are willing to give to your meditation practice and what specifically it is you are investing in (what you hope for and what your intentions are for practicing). From this little bit of effort, willingness, trust and faith, the returns in your life will naturally unfold.
