What is meditation?
Meditation is the mental process we engage our minds in that activates the relaxation response within the body.
It’s a practice that can be dated back approx. 5000 years with origins coming from India. Many forms, styles and structures of meditation were developed over this period, as well as diverse intentions, proposed outcomes and reasons for its study.
What is meditating effortlessly then?
Firstly, what is the definition of effortless? - requiring little to no effort!
So, meditating effortlessly is engaging our minds in a very simple process in a completely effortless way that activates a deep relaxation response in our body. This means that the process in its very nature is conducted in an easy, lazy, carefree and effortless way from start to finish.
Effortless Meditation is an evidence-based self-care practice that is very enjoyable and easily practised by anyone. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned meditator, you can enjoy the benefits to your mind and body very quickly when beginning an Effortless Meditation practice.
This modern technique is so simple to learn requiring no concentration, focus or quieting of the mind. This makes it ideal for those with their mind and thoughts constantly on the go, that are time poor, or the urban professional requiring a self-care tool to enhance their daily physical, mental and emotional health & well-being.
The form of Effortless Meditation that we guide and teach is also a non-religious/or spiritual technique so there’s no need to sit a certain way and hold a certain posture or pose. It’s practiced simply by sitting comfortably in any chair or on the couch where you can quietly do so.
For employees within their workplace, it’s a perfect tool to address the increasing effects of mental illness and workplace stress. And from the employer’s perspective, it is a valuable asset to their psychosocial requirements, wellness programs & EAP for looking after employee mental health, increasing productivity, and reducing workplace stress, absenteeism and presenteeism.
Reports show:
Mental illness within the workplace costs up to approx. $17.4 billion per year in Australia in lost productivity.
Lost productivity, absenteeism and presenteeism due to workplace stress cost approx. $10.9 billion per year in Australia.
On average across all industry sectors in Australia for every $1 invested into employee well-being there’s a $2.30 return, while in certain sectors that figure can be $3.60 to $5.70!
Sources: Creating a mentally healthy workplace (pwc.com.au), Work-related Mental Disorders Profile (safeworkaustralia.gov.au) and Draft report - Mental Health - Productivity Commission (pc.gov.au)
Benefits for the individual (within workplace or broader community)
Assists with restoring a deeper and more regulated sleeping pattern which can help improve your health.
Reduced levels of stress, anxiety, depression, overwhelm and sense of burnout.
Increased mood, energy levels, sense of vitality and productivity for you to pursue all your various endeavours.
Enhanced mental alertness, memory, focus, concentration, and creativity that can all help create a sense of greater purpose.
Improved mental health, and more emotional stability which can help build greater resilience to bounce back from challenges.
Benefits for the workplace
Assists with an increase in productivity and creativity, facilitating better results and outcomes for employees.
Improved mental health, building greater resilience, enhancing decision making, and assisting employees to create better solutions.
Decreased feelings of stress, anxiety, overwhelm and fatigue improving health, sleep and contributing to reduced absenteeism or presenteeism.
Enhanced focus, concentration and memory, which contributes to learning and the ability to process information.
Increased emotional stability and improved mood, helping to build a better workplace culture and interpersonal relationships. This creates a safer environment for employees and may enhance your workplace as a preferred employer and place of employment.
Long-term benefits of a daily Effortless Meditation practice
We teach a modern evidenced-based form of Effortless Mediation, not so people can become a better meditator, but so people can operate at their highest potential outside of the meditation!
Not only do we look at the ongoing cumulative effects and benefits of a daily practice that are detailed above, but also the long-term benefits (that research shows). These include:
Brain Connectivity/Integration - Neuroscientists believe this is when numerous parts of the brain (with different functions) connect and communicate with each other between the two hemispheres and that over time (with an ongoing daily practice) that this connectivity can become permanent outside of the meditation which they refer to as brain Integration. This allows a person to be more focused and effective in all their activities they engage in.
Blood Chemistry - These changes occur once the deepest stage of the practice is reached and can see the release of well-being hormones as follows,
- Decrease in Stress hormones - blood Lactate and cortisol
- Increase in health & well-being neurotransmitters and hormones - serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin and anandamide
- Increase in DHEA
With a daily regular long-term practice of Effortless Meditation these levels can become permanently higher than if you were not to meditate.
# Note - All the above benefits stated may be experienced within a workplace scenario or by an Indvidual, whether they’re in the workplace or broader community, and are not limited by their number, but all are based on a commitment to a consistent and ongoing daily meditation practice. We note that in certain instances a person’s medical history or current state of health (physically, mentally or emotionally) must also be taken into account and can therefore vary their overall experience from what is mentioned above.