Meditation's Influence On Life

The image of a smiling, meditating Buddha or Buddhist is part of western cultural imagery of serenity or happiness -- and for good reason. Anecdotal and statistical evidence points to a variety of benefits for those who meditate regularly. These range from the esoteric and spiritual to the physical and immediate.

Stress Relief

Although many meditation practices are closely related to religious practice, at its essence meditation is nothing more than consciously relaxing. This relaxation carries direct stress relief benefits. According to information on MayoClinic.com, this relaxation can help you reduce negative emotions, gain perspective on stressors in your life, relax your body and focus on the present -- including available solutions. Because illnesses ranging from allergies to eating disorders to circulatory problems are exacerbated by stress, this can have a direct effect on your quality of life.

Improved Relationships

Meditation increases your self-awareness, gives you tools to manage anger and stress, and can breed an awareness of and appreciation for the positive influences in your life. These traits can lead to more open and loving relationships with the people you care about. They can also make negative relationships in your life less stressful by helping you keep that relationship in perspective.

Longer Life Span

Of the five top causes of death as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, five -- heart disease, cancer, stroke, accidents and influenze/pneumonia -- are directly exacerbated by stress. Because meditation relieves stress, it can directly reduce your risk for these top killers. A 2006 Study published in the American Journal of Cardiology supports this logic, reporting a 23 percent reduction in death among subjects who meditated regularly over an 18-year period.

Happiness

"Psychology Today" reports that the University of Massachusetts Medical School examined the brains of subjects who meditated regularly over eight weeks. Those subjects showed more activity in the parts of the brain that are engaged when people are happy, as compared to those of control subjects who did not meditate. This evidence suggests that meditation literally makes you happier.

Kinds of Meditation

In his book "In Search of the Warrior Spirit," an aikido instructor relates a story of unsuccessfully teaching special forces soldiers to sit still for hours of meditation. This illustrates that not all types of meditation are beneficial for all kinds of people. Fortunately, meditation comes in many forms and styles. If sitting and "contemplating your navel" doesn't work for you, you can try walking meditation, qi gong, prayer or the breathing exercises of pranayama.