Meditation: My New Detox

They say that meditation is like giving your brain a break, kind of like how intermittent fasting gives your body a break from eating. I was curious about meditation, so my wife encouraged me to try it because I sometimes have trouble sleeping. I decided to read a book called "Heavily Meditated" by Caitlin Cady from the library to learn how it works.

At first, I thought meditation meant having a completely empty mind with no thoughts at all. But that seemed impossible because my mind always seems to be thinking about something. What I learned from the book was that meditation is not about having no thoughts but shifting your focus away from thinking too much. You can focus on things like your breath, sounds, sensations in your body, repeating a word or phrase (called a mantra), or imagining calming images. By concentrating on one of these things, you can calm your mind and give it a much-needed break.

For me, focusing on sounds worked the best. I recently bought noise-canceling headphones for my workouts at the gym, and they are perfect for meditation too. It was a good investment because it really paid off in terms of the benefits I got from meditation. I would play some of my favorite scores, like the soundtrack from Interstellar. And focus on the various segments and instruments in my mind.

I started meditating for just seven minutes at a time, and I did it for two days. After each session, I felt a sense of clarity and relaxation. It was like my brain had taken a mini-vacation during those seven minutes. I would encourage others to give meditation a try, especially if you sometimes feel anxious, have trouble sleeping, or just need to clear your mind. It's a simple practice that can bring some peace and calm into your life.