“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” ― Louis L’Amour
I swear that I have the “busiest”, “never quiet” brain in the world. That’s why I’ve been paying more and more attention to the study of Meditation and Mindfullness. Take a look at some of the evidence below from an article by Alice G. Walton, a Forbes Magazine contributor, and see that there are real concrete benefits to “taking the time out to be still.”
Below are 7 Ways Meditation Can Actually Change the Brain:
- Meditation Helps Preserve the Aging Brain
- Meditation Reduces Activity in the Brain’s “Me Center”
- Its Effects Rival Antidepressants for Depression, Anxiety.
- Meditation May Lead to Volume Changes in Key Areas of the Brain
- Just a Few Days of Training Improves Concentration and Attention
- Meditation Reduces Anxiety — and Social Anxiety
- Meditation Can Help with Addiction
“Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” ―Amit Ray
“Do not ruin today with mourning tomorrow.” ― Catherynne M. Valente,
Now that you’ve seen how meditation and mindfulness actually change the brain check out these meditation “Myth-Busters” by the inimitable Deepak Chopra and decide whether meditating just might be for you!
7 Myths of Meditation by: Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Myth #1: Meditation is difficult.
Truth: This myth is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric practice reserved only for saints, holy men, and spiritual adepts. In reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced, knowledgeable teacher, meditation is easy and fun to learn.
Myth #2: You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.
Truth: This may be the number one myth about meditation and is the cause of many people giving up in frustration. Meditation isn’t about stopping our thoughts or trying to empty our mind – both of these approaches only create stress and more noisy internal chatter. We can’t stop or control our thoughts, but we can decide how much attention to give them.
Myth #3: It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.
Truth: The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate and in the first few days of daily practice.
Myth #4: Meditation is escapism.
Truth: The real purpose of meditation isn’t to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true Self. In meditation you dive below the mind’s churning surface, which tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness. In this state of transcendent awareness, you let go of all the stories you’ve been telling yourself about who you are, what is limiting you, and where you fall short – and you experience the truth that your deepest Self is infinite and unbounded
Myth #5: I don’t have enough time to meditate.
Truth: There are busy, productive executives who have not missed a meditation in twenty-five years, and if you make meditation a priority, you will do it.
Myth #6: Meditation is a spiritual or religious practice.
Truth: Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of the mind into a place of stillness and silence. It doesn’t require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs.
Myth #7: I’m supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.
Truth:
Some people are disappointed when they don’t experience visions, see colors, levitate, hear a choir of angels, or glimpse enlightenment when they meditate. Although we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate, including feelings of bliss and oneness, these aren’t the purpose of the practice. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the other hours of the day when we’re going about our daily lives. When we emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative, compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we encounter.
“In the end, just three things matter:
How well we have lived
How well we have loved
How well we have learned to let go”
― Jack Kornfield
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And when you are through meditating and are super mellow, grab Topaz, the third book in my provocative Ladies of the Night series and crank up the excitement. The Ladies are covert agents in a secretive, off the grid security organization. Highly trained fighters, they’re as gorgeous as they are dangerous to the evil men they’re hired to bring to justice. The only thing these formidable women are NOT is “ladies.”
Maya Taveras, Code Name: Topaz, is a mixed-race Zoe Saldana look-a-like. As mysterious as her heritage, a hideous incident in Topaz’s troubled past gives her a dangerous connection to the international Cartel leader at the top of the DEA’s most wanted list. Agent Grayson Webb joins Topaz to infiltrate down the formidable organization. Not surprisingly, Webb falls for his partner, the sultry Topaz. A roller-coaster of a ride rife with violence, sexual attraction and unexpected rivalries make this stormy tale a page turner from the first page to the last.
And if you can’t get enough of sexy ‘Good Guys” check out my gang’s latest collection:
Unforgettable Courage: Protection and Loyalty
My book in the set is
The Courage to Triumph
Caught in a hotbed of White Supremacist activists, both Ava and Luke become the targets. Not only do they have to overcome the constant danger, but Luke and Ava must decide if they can give their love a second chance.
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USA Today Best Selling author Taylor Lee writes Suspenseful Mystery Thrillers – with a heavy dose of Sexy to Sizzling HOT Romance.
In the five years that she has been writing, Taylor has written more than forty books. Her eight, series track her Special Operatives, Covert Agents, Cops, Firefighters and other iconic heroes and heroines, through the harrowing situations that make up their lives. From human trafficking rings to corrupt politicians, Taylor investigates the underbelly of society and the criminals who flourish there.
Taylor says: “From the residue in my personal blender of mixed races, cultures and world views, my characters emerge. It comforts me to know that while evil slinks in the shadows, the “good guys and gals” of the world sniff it out – and snuff it out.
My characters are arrogant alpha males and the feisty women who bring them to their knees – and vice versa… They fight hard, love hard and don’t mince words. They are dangerous men and women in dangerous times. Love, passion and ridding the world of evil? What’s not to like?
