Meditation's Benefit (part 1)

Many people meditate in order to reap very tangible benefits that meditation can bring. The main benefits to be gained by meditation in the short term are:

• an enhanced ability to relax
• greater equanimity
• improved self-assurance
• increased physical and mental energy

In addition to these short term benefits, all forms of meditation gently coax our minds into a greater appreciation of the present moment. This is useful, because relating to the present causes us to be much more focused and alert. When we are not meditating, we spend a surprising amount of time daydreaming about future possibilities or past events. By giving us the ability to focus at will upon the moment, meditation becomes a tool that enables us to experience things as they actually are.