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Meditation 101: The 4 Lessons You’ll Learn When You Start Meditating

By Aimee Hughes
Published: August 20, 2018 | Last updated: July 24, 2020
Key Takeaways

Meditating daily puts us in touch with our inner self and leads us to experience ever higher states of consciousness.

Source: Ksenia Makagonova/Unsplash.com

We so often think meditation is this highly complex and esoteric practice, reserved only for the monks, gurus and advanced spiritual seekers among us. The truth is that mediation is a very simple practice with an ability to positively transform our lives in profound ways.

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Establishing a regular meditation practice that resonates with you is one of the smartest things you can do to ensure your health on all levels — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. You don’t have to sit for hours on end. Your personal practice can be quite simple; all you need is a bit of discipline, know-how and a positive intention.

(Why is it important to meditate with the right intention?)

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If you want to shift your state into that of a happier, healthier and all-around more peaceful person, then you’ll want to read on to receive a nice little introduction into what meditation is all about.

4 Lessons We Learn From Meditation

How to Be Still

Meditation is at it's essence about sitting still, getting quiet and turning our focus inward. It’s about freeing ourselves from the many distractions of modern-day life. It’s about cultivating an inner stillness, that’s at the core of our being, by calming the thought patterns of our mind and being present with that peaceful space between each thought.

When we get still, we connect to our hearts, where our true intelligence lies. It’s here where we tap into a profound wisdom, intuition and higher knowing. We get to see things from a more expansive perspective, coming up with more creative solutions to problems that used to leave us feeling stuck and stressed.

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Discovery of the True Self

A human life consists of different layers — not unlike those of an onion — in which we peel back to arrive at our true nature, our inner self, which is accessed through a regular meditation practice. There’s a vast world within each and every one of us, and many of us will never get to know that beautiful loving space because we won’t commit to a regular contemplative practice. But for those of us who do commit, the gifts are endless.

(More on why a regular meditation practice is essential in Yoga Is a Discipline (and Why Discipline Is a Gift).)

In the layers of a human life, we have everything that happens outside of us — everything that buzzes around in our environment. We have our work, our relationships, the place in which we live and play, and the many dramas that are part and parcel of our lives. There’s the physical body in which we all inhabit, with it’s various ills and maladies, as well as great health and well-being. Our physical body is prone to different conditions, which go up and down and everywhere in between.

As we delve deeper, we peel back another layer where there resides the mental and emotional bodies. It’s here where we experience our thoughts and emotions and the many changing states of being that go with this layer. As we go deeper still and as we explore the layer that we access while sitting in quiet meditation, we tap into a place of unchanging peace, total calm and ease. Within this layer lies our true nature, our higher Self. Thanks to the meditation practice, we’re able to spend more time residing in this state of consciousness, where an immense world of internal power lies waiting for us.

How to Live More Authentically

Meditation allows for a calming of the mind, and a relaxing of the body and breath. Leaving all those outer layers let's us luxuriate in this peace each and every time we meditate. Leaving behind the distractions and dramas of the external world for, say, 10 to 20 minutes daily, actually changes the way we act in our lives during those times when we do encounter the dramas and challenges. The practice helps us get clear-headed, which allows for a life authentically lived.

(To get you started, try this 10-Minute Meditation.)

That We Must Meditate Daily

If we are to evolve as yogis, we need to meditate every day. It’s the perfect companion to any regular yoga and spiritual practice. It holds so many benefits that one would be foolish not to delve deep into the practice. There’s no right or wrong way to meditate, so you don’t have to worry whether or not you’re doing it right. You just need to be devoted to your practice. Do it daily and see what happens. The effects will be many.

The more you explore the wide world of meditation, the more you’ll understand that there are many styles and practices with which to experiment. Again, there’s not one way that’s better than another, but there is one (or a few) ways that will be right for you.

Free Lessons

Just remember, your intention is always to go inward, to de-stress and to connect with the still space within. If you keep your practice near and dear to your heart for each and every day, you’ll find your life becomes richer, more joyful, peaceful and full of compassion. These are the boons of meditation, and they’re free to us all.

(Read on for 6 Steps to Starting a Meditation Practice for Beginners.)


During These Times of Stress and Uncertainty Your Doshas May Be Unbalanced.

To help you bring attention to your doshas and to identify what your predominant dosha is, we created the following quiz.

Try not to stress over every question, but simply answer based off your intuition. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else.

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Written by Aimee Hughes

Aimee Hughes

Aimee is a yogi and writer who's been practicing yoga daily for more than 21 years. Since a journey to India when she was 20, the practice has been her constant companion. She loves exploring the vast and seemingly endless worlds of yoga. Aimee has also written a book titled, "The Sexy Vegan Kitchen: Culinary Adventures in Love & Sex." You can find her at her new site: https://natura.yoga

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