Prayer is when you talk to God;
meditation is when you listen to God.
Diana Robinson
Do you find that your daily routine so busy and full of activities that it is causing you stress and/ or agitation? Everyone has heard about the health risks associated with too much stress, but how do you go about reducing that stress and finding some peace in your life? To gain a sense of peace, you can always turn to the gifts of prayer and meditation.
There are many benefits to meditation and prayer, but we will list just a few:
Reduction of stress reduction
Both meditation and prayer are great for reducing your stress levels. You will find that it is very helpful if you learn how to get away from the worries of life to a more peaceful state of mind, more often. As little as 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference by bringing peace and relaxation to your body and mind. A few minutes taken out of each day isn’t really that much, considering that the positive effects will last you for several hours.
Health improvement
There have been numerous studies that have proven that prayer and meditation foster vibrant health. Usually these health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and decreased risk of heart disease, occur because of the lowered stress levels. Physical problems are often an outward sign of the turmoil and chaos going on inside, and prayer and meditation can help to overcome that turmoil.
Focus
Prayer and meditation can help you gain better control over your thoughts. Having negative thoughts every now and then is perfectly human and normal. Many people who are stressed don’t really believe that they are able to control what they think. As the stress continues to build, tempers flair, and eventually arguing ensues. But by bringing prayer and meditation into your life, it is entirely possible to control your thoughts and put a halt to your negative thinking as soon as it begins. This all helps to keep your mind at peace.
Joy
Both peace of mind and joy, and for some happiness, are real benefits of meditation and prayer. Everyone is seeking greater happiness in their lives, and when you are finally able to gain some peace of mind through prayer and meditation, you are also welcoming more happiness and abundance into your life.
By purposely making time to spend some time in personal reflection, you will gain greater wisdom about your purpose and mission in life. And you will develop greater appreciation for all that you have already been given, both the good and the bad. Meditation and prayer help banish the negative thoughts that threaten to disrupt your peace of mind.
Better concentration
As you pray and meditate, you will welcome peace and tranquility into your mind, which will spill over into how you choose to live your life. When you work to alleviate the stresses and stressors in your life, you will be more fully able to concentrate on the things that are important to you.
Continued prayer and meditation will help you expand your focus into many areas of your life.
Although prayer and meditation can provide peace in your life, it can sometimes be difficult to make the time at first, but it will get easier as you commit to the practice and begin to feel the benefits of bringing more peace into your mind and life. Start by simply finding a quiet place in your home and allow yourself to relax and feel at peace for 10-15 minutes.
Don’t you deserve 15 minutes of peace each day?
Thoughts?
Photo Credit: khalid almasoud via Compfight cc
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