Meditation: Foundation for Flourishing

Every morning I wake up and meditate for twenty to thirty minutes. A lot of people don’t know how I’m able to commit to this habit. But to me, the benefits are worth every bit of that time.

You see, the uncelebrated power of this ritual is at work in my life. Things flows more powerfully and creatively when I have routines that bring me joy, and these routines start with meditation.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. According to the Harvard Health Blog, when researchers from Johns Hopkins University studied the effects of mediation, “Their findings, published in […] JAMA Internal Medicine, suggest that mindfulness meditation can help ease psychological stresses like anxiety, depression, and pain.”

Okay, so those results are pretty powerful. But I’d like to share my personal experiences using this ancient practice.

Sometimes meditation allows me calm and simple clarity, but it can also take me to deeper layers of my subconscious. There I discover wells of inspiration, and my purpose for the day becomes clearer. It’s a place where intuitions can get unlocked, and glimpses of the infinite are possible. A place where one can find wisdom and perspective. A place where all the probability lines of my own life are seen as a single river–and from that insight, clarity of purpose flows.

With meditation, I am able to see my thoughts and feel my feelings. At times I notice parts of myself that I am afraid of. Other times I can observe patterns of pain. But that’s okay. Before too long, I notice the healing begin and I soon feel the excitement of letting go of those negative emotions. I feel surges of energy in my body and see visions in my mind. My body feels stronger. My mind feels sharper. My emotions are more balanced.

The Meditation is Over. Now What?

Life is rich with color, purpose, and joy. I am ready to take on the world and the world gives me exactly what I’m preparing for.

By the time I get around to putting on my running shoes, going outside to stretch and to exercise, I have already set an energetic momentum for the day. I can infuse every push-up with an intention. Every stretch has purpose. Every sprint is fueled with an emotion I’m either letting go of, or choosing to embody. Sometimes I jump into the cold ocean and let go of any fear I am feeling in my life.

With my morning ritual complete, I walk back to my house to focus on the meetings I have scheduled for the day, and I am mentally prepared. In many ways, this routine sets the tone for my life every day.

And that’s where the benefits of meditation start.

True success, synchronicity, and joy only happen in a sustainable way when my inner foundation is strong. And the benefits of meditation impact every aspect of life.  

My health. My emotional strength and balance. The depth of my relationships. The most creative business ideas. My perseverance. All of these are enhanced by dedicated meditation practice.  But I don’t stop there.

My phone vibrates every day at noon, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm. I pause whatever I’m

doing, close my eyes, and take three deep breathes. I then dive back into my

activities more aware, joyous, and powerful than ever before. These routines create the structure for maximum creativity and flow in my life.

Before I go to bed, I look at my schedule for the next day and meditate for 20 minutes before lying down for 6-8 hours of healing, dreaming, and deep relaxation. My days don’t always start and end like this but they usually do. And when they do, the rest of the day increasingly falls into place.

Others are finding these benefits, too. According to Project Meditation, a Detroit-based industrial plant posted the following results three years after implementing a meditation regime:

• Absenteeism fell by 85%
  
• Productivity rose 120%
• Injuries dropped 70%
• Profits increased 520%

How could this be? How much of these enormous gains are attributable to meditation? As a practitioner, I don’t doubt these statistics for a moment.

Commitment to Meditation

Getting into a regular meditation practice can be hard. It takes commitment just like everything else in life. But the results are worth it. Meditation practice has different lineages, and countless techniques are available for people to try. The terrain of the inner world is vast and the ways to navigate your adventure are many. Find a teacher that you like and a technique that you enjoy. Evolve to learn from other teachers and eventually develop your own technique. The exploration is worth it.  

The fruits of meditation come in the clarity of mind and the good feelings you have every day (which will be amplified). Your newfound internal perspective will create fertile soil for your intentions to become manifest in the world. Whether in your business or your personal relationships, all of the fear and anxiety will melt with your awareness. You are making yourself spiritually ready to seize the promise of a life well lived. With meditation, you will be unstoppable and you will naturally have compassion in your interactions with others.

Because of that virtuous circle, you will have an impact and you will receive all that you deserve. That is not to say that meditation is a silver bullet or a panacea. It is rather a basis upon which to build.

So, follow your dreams. Pursue your vision of a life well lived. But first, create a solid internal foundation for your self and start it with meditation.

UNIFY and Patrick Kronfli will be guiding a synchronized meditation at Voice & Exit this June. This portion will be perfect for beginners or more advanced practitioners.