Many research articles indicate that meditation affects us on many levels, including increasing our feelings of compassion for others and our acts of empathy. Studies have shown brain circuits linked to empathy are much more active in people who meditate regularly.

Meditation has a wide range of benefits including health improvements (reduces chronic pain and depression),  better cognitive abilities (improves attention, concentration and focus) and emotional (reduces anxiety and stress).

If someone came along and said a simple activity could help you in all those areas and you could do it anywhere/anytime for free, wouldn’t you be happy to try it? It is difficult initially and it’s probably best to go to a class or listen to the many meditations on YouTube, but the long term benefits are huge. Below is a link to my relaxation meditation:

Many of us pay into a pension because we know we’ll need it. So treat your body and mind in the same way. Put in some effort, become a regular meditator (just 2-3 times a week, 5-15 minutes is enough), and reap the reward as you learn to connect to your mind/body.