Meditation is a practice

 Meditation is a practice that aims at focusing the mind and training awareness. Although there’s not a single type of meditation, the goal is the same across the board: to achieve a calmer state of mind.

There’s a misconception that the point of meditation is to completely clear the mind, but this is an impossible task. The goal is to bring awareness to and redirect your thoughts, not to get rid of them completely.

Meditation originated in ancient India thousands of years ago and then moved through China and Japan before making its way west in the 18th century. Now, the practice is a foundational part of Buddhism and has become widely practiced across the globe.

One of the most sought-after benefits of meditation is stress reduction. The practice has been shown to help alleviate stressTrusted Source, lower anxiety, and combat inflammation that can come with chronically high stress hormones.

In addition to helping manage stress levels, meditation can:

  • lead to a more positive outlook on life
  • boost self-image
  • cultivate self-awareness
  • improve attention span
  • fight off age-related memory loss
  • increase compassion toward yourself and others
  • improve sleep
  • decrease blood pressure

If you’re new to meditation or curious about it, picking up a book is a great starting point. There’s a wide breadth of knowledge that falls under meditation, and books are a practical way to explore and better understand the practice.

From the Beatles to Rick Rubin, there’s no shortage of wellness-minded musicians who extol the benefits of meditation. Some even go so far as to guide listeners through the practice of finding peak zen and awareness. Lizzo’s led a flute-powered session on Instagram; Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA (a.k.a. Bobby Digital, Prince Rakeem, the Abbot, etc.) teamed with tea brand TAZO for his meditative EP, Guided Explorations; and artists including Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, and Harry Styles have remixed their songs for mindfulness app Calm.

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Whether you’re setting up a sanctuary in your home or a makeshift corner of your office, you can indulge in the benefits of meditation at any place and time if you have the right guidance and tools. These days, there are plenty of guided meditation apps that can steer you in the right direction, including Calm ($70 per year), Headspace ($70 per year), Liberate ($72 per year), MyLife ($59 per year), and Waking Up ($100 per year), to name just a few. Bonus: All of these offer free trials and access to complimentary meditations so you can try them before you buy.

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