It Energizes You

There is an old Zen saying that I love, “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you’re too busy, then you should sit for an hour.” 

One great benefit of meditating that is often overlooked, is its ability to energise you. Our stamina and will power come from the mind, so it makes sense that a refreshed and rejuvenated mind, will give us more energy physically, as well as the mental fortitude to get things done. Meditation is a deeply restorative practice, offering huge benefits to both the mind and body, that can leave us feeling renewed and reinvigorated. 

How it works

• One great benefit of meditating that is often overlooked, is its ability to energise you.
• Spend time on the preparation of your mind and you will reap great benefits, that can manifest as increased energy and motivation.
• By meditating regularly and for at least 20 minutes at a time, we can take control and then retain control of the monkey mind, stopping it from its mischief as it tries to distract us from our tasks at hand.

When you think about it, the Zen saying isn’t dissimilar in its meaning to the statement by Abraham Lincoln – “give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first 4 sharpening my axe”

What Lincoln was saying, is that rather than slogging away at the tree for 6 hours with a blunt axe, making it very hard work, he would wisely spend most of the time sharpening his axe, so that the job was much quicker and easier. The Zen saying is similar, but in this instance, the mind is the tool that needs sharpening, after which it will be much more efficient and effective. Spend time on the preparation of your mind and you will reap great benefits, that can manifest as increased energy and motivation.

I’ve spoken previously about the monkey mind and the negative effects that can have on our motivation and ability to get things done. By meditating regularly and for at least 20 minutes at a time, we can take control and then retain control of the monkey mind, stopping it from its mischief as it tries to distract us from our tasks at hand.

By shutting down the constant chatter of the monkey mind, we gain clarity and focus, which can then be used as motivation to tackle things that we haven’t had the will to do so far.

So, be a bit more Zen. If you can manage 20 minutes of meditation today, that’s great, but if you’re struggling to find that 20 minutes, then sit for the hour and you will reap untold benefits, as well as feeling re-energised.