The world is filled with all sorts of beliefs. From Christianity to Atheism to Hinduism and Judaism there are all sorts of beliefs. What we believe is very personal and derives from a sacred space within guiding us to something bigger than just ourselves.
While beliefs can be challenged and people can easily defend their belief system, there are practices within a belief system that are universal. Meditation and prayer are two practices that, regardless of beliefs, can help clear the mind and stimulate rest.
Meditation is defined as – “Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.” Meditation uses breathing and focus to clear the mind and help it rest and restore itself.
Prayer is defined as – “Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity, or a deified ancestor.” Prayer uses focus to have a conversation of sorts designed to seek guidance, heal, and process life-restoring vitality and energy to the mind and spirit.
Meditation and prayer are effective tools for rest that work, with meditation being widely more commonplace in today’s environments. Even schools are incorporating meditation to increase productivity and decrease negative behaviors.
Meditation is easy to learn. There are apps that can assist with meditation as well. Your smartphone can open up a world of styles of meditation and/or prayer that you never knew existed.
The best thing about meditation and prayer are you don’t need any equipment and you can do each practice anywhere. This means you can fall back on meditation or prayer whenever you feel
- Tired
- Stressed
- Overwhelmed
- Scared
- Angry
Instead of reacting to extreme emotions, you can use meditation and/or prayer to take the edge off and get some immediate rest before you react. It’s a healthy and energizing tool to have on hand.
Explore meditation and prayer as tools for your rest toolkit. Discover what millions of others use as a way to ground themselves, restore their energy, and get centered once again. You’ll be glad you did!
