Why Meditation?

Meditation as a concept likely needs no introduction - but let's say for a minute it does. It comes from the Latin word meditatio, which means "to think, contemplate.", and refers to any practice or technique that involves focusing the mind. Often people associate meditation with mindfulness practice specifically due to the western popularity of this, when in fact there are probably more ways we can meditate than there are stars in the sky.

The benefits of Meditation.

Stress Reduction (Lowered Cortisol): Meditation can reduce cortisol levels, helping to manage stress. High cortisol has been linked to anxiety and depression (Chiesa & Serretti, 2009). Mental healthcare and high cortisol likely go hand in hand according to Ibar and associates (2021), suggesting meditation may help to avoid burnout and support clients.  

Bigger Brain: Not quite… but more grey matter. Grey matter plays a crucial role in motor skills, memory, decision-making, and emotion regulation (Hölzel et al., 2011). 

Laser Focus: Regular meditation has been shown to enhance attention and cognitive function. Even brief periods of mindfulness meditation can lead to improvements in focus and concentration (Zeidan et al., 2010).

Better Mental Health: Meditation can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve psychological well-being (Goyal et al., 2014). Symptoms of depression and anxiety among mental health professionals can be high, with potential exposure to vicarious trauma at times through this work also.  

Sweet Dreams: Meditation has been shown to improve sleep quality and help with insomnia, leading to improved recovery and rest (Ong et al., 2014).

No Pain, More Gain: Meditation has been found to help reduce blood pressure, improve physical health, and increase our pain tolerance (Schneider et al., 2005; Davidson et al., 2003; Zeidan et al., 2011).

A sea of evidence in recent decades highlights the resilience building and health benefits associated with this ancient practice. An analysis of 47 studies conducted by Goyal and associates in 2014 found similar effects between antidepressants and regular meditation when reducing the negative components of psychological stress. And yet, meditation is no easy sell. Among youth, it is seldom practiced due to a range of barriers including attention difficulties, limited knowledge of benefits and stigma. Without these, meditation could be learned and established when neurogenesis occurs rapidly to develop and maintain the benefits throughout life. 

Practices are often grouped - those which encourage relaxation as the priority, or those which generate insight. These include reflective or interoceptive exercises, breath and sense awareness among others. Feeels practices blend conventional tools with scientific theories and philosophy, titrating these observational activities within contemplative exercises. Guided practices should be unique, interesting, motivational and educational, and we haven’t seen a lot of these after scouring the internet for the best we can find. We draw upon lived experience as people who couldn’t meditate for many of the same reasons. Slowing down can be difficult - particularly for those who have gotten used to moving quickly. Thought serves as both a useful tool to escape the distress of any given moment, and a product of modern life's constant stimulation. In our fast-paced world, we are seldom without it.

Our meditations provide tools which can be expanded upon or simply passed on as is. We made these with teenagers and adults in mind, so practitioners can find personal use for these as well as sharing them. Incorporating subjects like physics, biology, philosophy, and specific concepts ranging from neuroscience and immune function to gravity and friction, there’s bound to be something you find useful in expanding your professional or self-care toolkit.  

Worried about time? we made a meditation about that too.