If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. – Vincent Van Gogh
We train our bodies and craft but how many of us can say, really say, that we actively train our minds?
Late Kobe Bryant was introduced to mindfulness and meditation by his basketball coach. Kobe realised that training only his craft wasn’t cutting it anymore. Despite intense workouts he noticed that his performance was suffering. So, he decided to look into areas where he could improve his performance. He realised it got down to two things: sleep and meditation. Adding 30 minutes a night of additional sleep made a big difference for him, as did meditating for 10-15 minutes daily.
Wide body of research all point to the same direction – mindfulness is beneficial. Great warriors (samurais), high performance coach Michael Gervais, Stanford researcher Kelly McGonigal, Kobe, and billionaire investor Ray Dalio, all practice and teach the amazing benefits of meditation. They claim – it (the meditation) has changed their lives, for the better.
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness means paying attention in particular way (Zinn, 1994):
– on purpose,
– in the present, and
– non-judgementally.
This kind of attention nurtures awareness, clarity and acceptance of present moment. The absence of awareness means acting and behaving as in on auto pilot, and it is often driven by fears and insecurities. Doing this for extended periods of time, you may start feeling stuck, out of touch as well as loose confidence that it is possible for you to re-direct your energy in a way that leads to greater satisfaction and health.
Mindfulness reduces anxiety, basically the fear of the future, and the unknown. Innovation and breakthroughs cannot be achieved without taking risks. It is about silencing the voice in the head that tells you can’t do it, and brings the focus back into here and now, so that you can. Focused mind enables you to see your possibilities more clearly and choose the best course of action. How can you be the best in this moment? And the next, and the next (Gervais, 2018).
Benefits of meditating regularly (Gervais, 2018):
– Improved decision-making, awareness, critical thinking and analysis.
– Improved working memory.
– Increased focus.
– Increased frequency of state flow – the most optimal state for the human being.
– Thriving in hostile and rugged environments.
– Better reactivity to stress.
– Emotional stability (poised and calm).
– Improved sleep, mood and fatigue.
There are 2 types of meditation:
1. Single Point Focus – focusing on the same thing over and over again.
2. Contemplative – observing the thoughts as they come in, and later once becoming more skilled, also the spaces between them.
Research show that minimum effective time is 6 minutes. The gold standard is 27 minutes for 8 weeks. After eight weeks, visible changes start to take place in the brain structure.
Paying attention to the present moment, hence increasing awareness is essential for growth and transformation. The process is personal (particular), meaning each experience is unique to the person practising it. The best way to find out whether meditation is beneficial for you is, to try it out yourself. The only way to know it, is to experience it. Considering the research and feedback from the best all around, it is worth a try.
Image: Alamy
Resources:
Kabat-Zinn, J, 1994, Wherever You Go, There You Are, Piatkus.