Catholic Husband

Love / Lead / Serve

Why You Should Meditate

I think one of the most devastating things in our modern era is that we’ve stopped being a reflective people. Instead of taking time to think about past actions or how we can improve as people, we run from one thing to the next. The consequence is that we keep making the same mistakes over and over again. This is why our confessions sound eerily familiar and we keep getting into the same fights with our spouses.

One of the techniques that have been recommended to me for migraine management is taking time to meditate daily. I don’t do it very faithfully, but when I have taken the time to meditate, I’ve gained tremendous benefit. Stress is an ugly thing. When you have a stressful event in your life, it’s a distraction. It grows. Your mind inflates it to unreasonable levels.

When we meditate, we combat stress. Things get put back into perspective, into their proper place in our lives. We consider our recent actions and evaluate ourselves based on a set of standards. Am I loving my wife well? Am I giving good example to those around me? Am I being the person I want to be?

We need to take time each day in silence. We need to keep our live in balance and perspective. We need physical space to free up our consciousness. Our brains need some down time each day that doesn’t involve mindlessly watching TV.

I’ve found meditation to be an excellent form of prayer. We all seek a sense of peace in our lives. During mediation, when you give yourself permission to relax, you get a glimpse into that peace. When you bring everything back to the center, you can physically feel weight coming off of your shoulders.

Practicing meditation is a lot like going to confession. You unload that which is bringing you down, you gain a better understanding of who you are as a person. It’s not as good as confession, but both are necessary.

Getting started is simple. Carve out 10 minutes of your day and find a quiet place. I like to use the iOS app “Simply Being” to help me through this time. During these 10 minutes, take a look at your life. Things will come up to the surface. Deal with them and then let them go. This is a time to be vulnerable, this is a time to be realistic.

We all need permission to let go of past mistakes, hurts, and stresses. Give yourself that permission today.