Ever felt like the world is spinning too fast and you can't keep up? I've been there! Join me, Yogiray, as we embark on a journey to discover the phenomenal power of morning meditation. I used to struggle with meditation, maybe you do too, but I found that it's all about sticking with it and finding the style that suits you best. Now, I genuinely believe it can change your life, just like it changed mine. I'll tell you all about my journey, the hurdles I had to overcome, and the precious wisdom I picked up during my yoga studies in India.
We'll also delve deep into the vast world of scientific research, revealing the countless health benefits of regular morning meditation. From reducing stress levels and enhancing cognitive functions to regulating mood and even improving physical health - we'll cover it all! And, it doesn't stop there. We'll also explore how morning meditation can boost your creativity, refine your problem-solving skills, and even enrich your relationships. Join us as we uncover the transformative power of morning meditation for you and your loved ones.
Ever felt like the world is spinning too fast and you can't keep up? I've been there! Join me, Yogiray, as we embark on a journey to discover the phenomenal power of morning meditation. I used to struggle with meditation, maybe you do too, but I found that it's all about sticking with it and finding the style that suits you best. Now, I genuinely believe it can change your life, just like it changed mine. I'll tell you all about my journey, the hurdles I had to overcome, and the precious wisdom I picked up during my yoga studies in India.
We'll also delve deep into the vast world of scientific research, revealing the countless health benefits of regular morning meditation. From reducing stress levels and enhancing cognitive functions to regulating mood and even improving physical health - we'll cover it all! And, it doesn't stop there. We'll also explore how morning meditation can boost your creativity, refine your problem-solving skills, and even enrich your relationships. Join us as we uncover the transformative power of morning meditation for you and your loved ones.
Feedback at soulshangout@gmail.com
Speaker 1:
Welcome to where souls hang out. We're here in episode 8, but in the first ever episode of a new segment called Soul Chats. So thanks for joining me. In this episode we're going to explore the transformative power of morning meditation and how it can benefit you. I'm your host, yogi Rain. Today we will be diving into the scientific benefits of a regular morning meditation practice. So take your notes and get ready as I take you on this journey. Welcome, beautiful souls.
Speaker 1:
So here we are in Soul Chat. I'm pretty excited about this segment. It's going to grow as we grow and the Soul Chat is about. It's a segment that's going to be covering many different subjects, not just yoga and meditation, but it'll include that. But also we'll be chatting about spirituality and life in general. I guess Also have some special guests that will be coming along chatting about their personal growth and handing over tips and tools that may be handy for you guys. They'll definitely be handy for me too. But if you have any subject that you want to explore, just drop me a line, drop me an email at soulshangoutatgmailcom.
Speaker 1:
But in today's episode we'll be covering the importance of a regular meditation practice and the benefits it will have on your life as well as your loved ones. They'll receive a lot of benefits as well just from you being that person that's meditating. So let's dive into it. I'm constantly hearing I hear all the time and it sounds like me from years ago that people's telling me that you know, I just can't meditate, I can't do it. But I can tell you you can do it. You can meditate, but it's just knowing what you're doing or maybe finding the meditation style that suits you and making it become a regular practice that we're going to talk about. But, like everything that's new, you need to make it a regular practice, otherwise you don't get any good at it and you end up stopping it.
Speaker 1:
I started meditating about 10 years ago now, maybe a little bit more, and by most people. I thought that I needed my mind to be completely quiet, no thoughts at all, just instant serenity. I thought would happen. I thought I'd be the answers from above and just. I suppose miracles, just wanted miracles to happen and I thought, if I meditate, everything will change instantly. It's not really the case. I used to attempt and sit there for 45 minutes and sometimes I'd be tortured. 45 minutes to an hour. I want to keep an hour. I don't think I'll last it an hour ever, and just waiting for the miracle to come along and, wow, wasn't I wrong.
Speaker 1:
It wasn't until I was in India back in 2013, I was studying yoga that I realized I was doing it all wrong, completely wrong, actually, not just a little bit wrong, completely wrong. And even once I had this teaching on how to have a regular meditation practice and make it work, I still found that I had my days where I couldn't get into it, days that I didn't want to do it. There was weeks that I didn't do it, but wow, the days that I could get into meditation. I could get this deep inner peace. It was just addictive. And the more and more I did it, the more and more I sat down and meditated, the more it just become addictive. And you don't have to meditate for 45 minutes to an hour, as I found out. 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes is a great time to meditate. I find that that's a amount of time that we've all got. We can all put 20 minutes into something, particularly for ourselves. We should be able to. So, I think, getting the time right and realizing that you don't have to sit there for hours to get something out of meditation.
Speaker 1:
But anyway, I remember that there was a meditation teacher in India, in the Himalayas, where I was, and he was from Mumbai and he was called Shiba and he guided a large group through this meditation process that give me a result of an out of body experience and wow, that was the most amazing thing that happened. And there's a big story to that which I'll talk about another time. But the best bit after the meditation was the next few days, probably three or four days after the meditation. I just felt bliss. It was just quite amazing. It's such a deep feeling of inner peace, gratitude, compassion, and I know you might hear this from other people who meditate, but it's true, I just felt that in a way I had never experienced this feeling before. It was way better than drugs and alcohol. I can tell you Drugs and alcohol aren't even in the same ballpark. But more on that story another time, I'll move on.
Speaker 1:
But I can tell you this meditation changed my whole life profoundly. The more regular I meditate, the more profoundly my life changes. And I just started giving myself that 10 minutes, and sometimes I wouldn't last 10 minutes, sometimes I'd go over, double or triple the time. But just have a time that you can give yourself and you'll benefit big time. So you have the time and you know you have the time. It's just prioritising that time. Everyone has 10 minutes to give to themselves, everyone, and if you don't, you need to find it. But let's explore this is me talking. So let's explore what the scientists say. There's a lot of research now and all you have to do is Google, and you probably have perhaps, if not, start the Google process. There's so much. I'm just going to run through just a few things that can change in your life with regular meditation Particularly a morning meditation, I find.
Speaker 1:
So we'll kick things off with stress reduction. So scientific studies have consistently shown for many years that meditation helps lower cortisol levels, which is the hormone associated with stress. So by incorporating meditation into your morning routine, you're setting a peaceful tone for the day ahead. The starting every day peacefully would just be bliss, and this is what could happen. Another remarkable benefit is improved focus and clarity. You definitely get that. When you become regular at meditation and then you stop for some reason for a couple of days, you feel it straight away. So research has demonstrated that regular meditation enhances cognitive functions, including concentration, memory, problem solving skills. So when you start your day with a clear mind, you're better equipped to tackle tasks with precision and efficiency, I suppose. So it's a great benefit to have Morning meditation also plays a crucial role in enhancing emotional wellbeing.
Speaker 1:
So studies have found that it helps regulate mood which is a good thing reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and promote overall sense of contentment. So by establishing positive emotion a positive emotion is the foundation of your morning You're more likely to navigate the day with resilience and positivity. So another one is building an emotional wellbeing. So building on emotional wellbeing, regular meditation has been linked to increase resilience. It cultivates a greater sense of self-awareness and equanimity, so allowing you to respond to changes with a calm and collected demeanour. I suppose that's what this is talking about. The resilience becomes a powerful asset in facing the inevitable ups and downs of daily life, which that is, our day ups and downs. But if you come from this level, you'll find that things just flow.
Speaker 1:
Let's move on to we'll talk about the impact of morning meditation on your physical health. Studies have shown that it can lead to lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health and even strengthen the immune system. So by prioritising your wellbeing in the morning, you're investing in your long-term health and vitality, very much needed in the world today. You just have to look around. You might even feel it in yourself that you're not feeling how you used to feel. Meditation will start bringing you back onto that path, and I can guarantee that one. So, beyond the tangible health benefits, meditation has been found to foster creativity and innovation. It suggests that it stimulates the brain's default mode network which sounds really cool which is associated with creative thinking and problem solving. So by starting your day with a fresh perspective, you're more likely to approach changes with inevitable solutions. Awesome, I like that one myself. So finally, let's explore our morning.
Speaker 1:
Meditation can positively impact your relationships. When you cultivate a sense of inner peace and emotional stability through meditation, it naturally extends your interactions with others. So you're more likely to communicate effectively, empathise and form a deeper and deeper connection with that person or people. So there you have it. That's just some quick things. Scientific research back benefits of regular morning meditation practice. So, from stress reduction to improved focus, emotional wellbeing to enhanced physical health, positive effects are profound.
Speaker 1:
So by dedicating just a few minutes each morning, you're setting the stage for a more centered, vibrant and fulfilling day, and we could all do with that, couldn't we? To the test. If you're not ready, just press pause and get yourself in a comfortable position. Otherwise, let's just see how this works. Just a short three-minute meditation, first of all. Just take the time just to get yourself comfortable and just take a long, slow, deep breath in Now. Release that breath Now just do that again. Take a long, slow, deep breath in Now, just release that breath, just feel the difference already and just feel yourself as you start becoming aware of your body. Become aware of your body and become aware of your body in the space that you're in, the space you are in your house your room, your car, your office, Wherever that may.
Speaker 1:
Be become aware of the space, become aware of your body taking up space in that space. Body in space, body in space, body in space. Now let's move through the body. As we relax the body now, we'll just move through it quickly. Just visualize and feel your feet. Relax your feet, your knees, your hips, your seat bones, your stomach. Relax your chest, your lower back, middle back, upper back, spine. Relax the neck, the back of the head, the top of the head, forehead, ears, your right eyebrow, left eyebrow, the center of the eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, tongue, chin your jaw. Relax your jaw. Relax your face. Relax your left hand, your right hand, your left eyebrow, right eyebrow, left, elbow right, elbow left eye, right, eye, left, shoulder, right, shoulder left arm, right arm, the top of your head, the tip of your toes. Relax your whole body. Just relax the whole body, the whole body. You are relaxed. Feel the relaxed body and take a deep breath in. Now. Let that go. Now. Focus on breathe in, breathe out, breathe in and breathe out. Now. Visualize in front of your closed eyes the dark space there. Visualize the number three. See the number three and feel the number three. You know what number three looks like and then just repeat to yourself three times three, three, three, three. Now the number two. Visualize and see the number two, feel the number two, and then just repeat to yourself three times two, two, two. Now the number one. Visualize and see the number one, feel the number one, and then repeat to yourself one, one, one.
Speaker 1:
You are relaxed, your body is completely relaxed, but you're fully aware. Now just visualize the most beautiful place you have ever been. There is that place, maybe a place that you dream of going or that you've been in your dream of going back. See this place, feel the place, feel yourself at this place, in that space. What does it feel like? What does it smell like? What does it look like? Be in that place Now.
Speaker 1:
Just remember back to Christmas last year, remember your best memory from Christmas last year, and now just remember who was with you on this day, remember who was around you in particularly around that memory, and just feel what you felt at that time and see what you saw at that time. Now feel and see the person that means the most to you in your life. Be with that person visually, feel them and see them. Who is this person that means the most to you in your life. Feel that you're with this person. Now, relax all efforts and just be. Just be and enjoy the feeling of completeness. You're in a place that is filled with love, joy and happiness. Take one more deep breath in and then just let that go and when you feel ready, you can open your eyes. How did that feel? That's a short process that can shift your mood, shift your state of mind instantly.
Speaker 1:
Short meditation has changed the trajectory of your day. So if you haven't already, you can head back to episode 7, which is a beautiful morning practice that you could easily ritualise and turn into regular morning practice. Within days, you'll start feeling and experiencing profound change. And just one more thing I'm putting together a course on meditation and how to form a regular practice, particularly for beginners, and this will be available to you for free. And if you'd like a free copy of that once it's released, send me your interest by email on soulshangout at gmailcom and I'll give you free access once it's released and, believe me, this will work for you. Thank you for being where souls hang out, because this is where souls hang out, and I'm Yogi Ray, and I hope you've enjoyed this first episode of Soul Chat, and until next time, may your mornings be filled with peace, love and tranquility, sending you blessings of love and peace and joy, namaste.
