| There are many direct and non direct benefits of meditation. When people speak about these benefits, they nearly always mean the direct benefits of physical or mental health. But did you know there are easy ways to greatly augment these benefits.  Generally speaking, whilst meditation on it's own is good and can derive benefit for the practitioner, still greater benefit can be had by combining meditation with an complimentary lifestyle and way of thinking. For the serious Yogi (practitioner of meditative Yoga) The suggested life style and Yoga practice given by Patanjali in his yoga sutras which are listed on our web page stages of meditation are recommend as the quickest way to evolve the soul and lead him to union with God, as this is the principle purpose of meditation. Yet even by adopting the most subtle changes in lifestyle can greatly augment the benefits of meditation than just practicing a simple form of meditation on it's own.
Some examples of simple changes that anyone can make to their lifestyle and to compliment their practice of meditation include: - The daily practice of giving thanks for ones blessings
- Thinking of, and talking to God in devotional or loving way frequently throughout the day
- Remembering the three C's don't Complain, Criticise or Condemn
(have you ever noticed that the happiest people do just that)
Devoted practice of even just one of these items will bring untold joy and personnel growth. The full direct benefits can be broken into three groups being mental, physical and spiritual. Mental & Physical Benefits There is now ample evidence and a plethora of studies that show conclusively that meditation has a significant effect in reducing negative mental disturbances such as anger, depression etc which in turn also has biological benefits. These include: - Reduction of occurrences and duration of negative mental states such as anger, depression, anxiety, stress
- An increase in perceived happiness
- Improved Concentration
- Lowering of Hypertension or Blood Pressure
- Reduced risk of Heart Attack and stroke
Other benefits of meditation that are not as well known that result from the practice of Pranayama include: - Purification of the Blood System
- Slowing of the Aging process
- Increased Energy
- Building Super Concentration
Spiritual Benefits The spiritual benefits of meditation have been known by Yogis for thousands of years. They are the principle motive behind the act of meditation and the whole system of Yoga. A truly successful and therefore happy life includes balanced development on all levels. These benefits include: - Gradually becoming aware that you are the soul and not the body, this leads to the mind influencing the body and not the other way around. By doing so you are less effected by extremes of temperature, pains and discomfort of the body
- You become a happier more fulfilled person
- Your spiritual faculties improve eg wisdom, concentration, greater will power and intuition
- You burn up the bad seeds of Karma that cause you trouble
- Prayer becomes more effective
- You become closer to and love God more
- Finally your soul is liberated from being compelled to return to earth
Other Resources - For more great information on the benefits and also the interconnectedness of mind body and soul please check out this great resource www.BodyWindow.com. - As mentioned one of the benefits of meditation is that prayer becomes more effective. This following link offers great information on prayers for healing Prayer for healing - Stress-Relief-Workshop.com - A web site to help you discover how stress could be affecting your life and how to manage it using techniques and coping strategies on a daily basis to improve health and lifestyle.
Site Navigation Home Page Understanding Meditation Benefits of Meditation Types of Meditation How to Meditate Meditation Tips Positive Affirmations Bhakti Yoga Site Map Other Pages linked to This Page include: Stages of Meditation The Body Window | 
