# data[].attributes.body
This term can lead to certain misunderstandings that can cause parents or administratives to not want to use meditation in the classroom. That’s why it is very important to define meditation to make sure that students, teachers, and parents know very well what it is and what it is not.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is Meditation - Why There's So Many Benefits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is meditation exactly? It's a practice that's been passed down for an extremely long time. There must be a reason why people continue to practice it! Reading is like taking a supplement for your mind Get any Free audiobook at: http://www.audibletrial.com/ImprovementPill Help Support Us At http://www.Patreon.com/ImprovementPill Facebook http://www.facebook.com/improvementpill Twitter http://twitter.com/ImprovementP Instagram http://Instagram.com/Improvementpill Sources: Increases immune function http://journals.lww.com/psychosomatic...

# data[].attributes.body
I really like the way that the definition of meditation is presented in this website because it's very clear and the animation and the structures of the paragraphs make the information easy to understand.

If I need to explain to my students what meditation is, I will use this website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning to meditate is like learning any other skill. Think of it like exercising a muscle that you've never really worked out before. Here's how.

# data[].attributes.body
Interested in learning to meditate, but not sure where to start? Take the test, it is very short and easy to navigate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Style of Meditation is Right for You?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Interested in learning to meditate, but not sure where to start?

# data[].attributes.headline
Guide to Meditation for Skeptical People (in Spanish)

# data[].attributes.subject
Guide to Meditation for Skeptical People (in Spanish)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
INFOGRAPHIC: The Skeptic’s Guide to Meditation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you’ve ever considered—but instantly dismissed—meditation, this one’s for you.

# data[].attributes.headline
Benefits and Meditation Practice - Infographic

# data[].attributes.subject
Benefits and Meditation Practice - Infographic

# data[].attributes.body
I love the colors and how easy it is to follow the ideas of this infographic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The benefits of mediation are endless. Here is an easy guide on how to incorporate meditation into your daily routine & life.

# data[].attributes.body
Amazing benefits that will encourage us to meditate

# data[].attributes.headline
It's time to know the benefits that kids receive when they meditate

# data[].attributes.subject
It's time to know the benefits that kids receive when they meditate

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meditation for Children | Top 8 Benefits for kids/students (REVEALED)

# data[].attributes.headline
There are some popular types of meditation practice

# data[].attributes.subject
There are some popular types of meditation practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What are all the types of meditation & which one is best?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In addition to helping us find calmness and mental quiet, these meditation techniques also help improve feelings of well-being, happiness, and empathy for others. But which type of meditation is best?

# data[].attributes.body
After reading the amazing text by Headspace website, it's time to complement the information with this video. After reading and watching this information, you will have a better idea of the type of meditation that best suits you. (In the next column there is a great quiz that will help you a lot).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 7 Different Types Of Meditation - (Which One Is Best For You?)

# data[].attributes.headline
Some schools are already using meditation in their classrooms

# data[].attributes.subject
Some schools are already using meditation in their classrooms

# data[].attributes.body
We can take some ideas on how to implement meditation in our classrooms. It will take some time for students, parents and teachers to get used to that practice, but it is worth it because it has lots of benefits.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Canada: Meditation in class for improved learning results? (Learning World: S5E28, 3/3)

# data[].attributes.headline
Meditation for children that can be useful for beginner adults too.

# data[].attributes.subject
Meditation for children that can be useful for beginner adults too.

# data[].attributes.body
If it is the first time meditating, you can start with this short and very descriptive video.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2 Minutes Mindfulness: Tree Guided Meditation for Children and Classrooms

# data[].attributes.headline
You can meditate anywhere with these free meditation apps

# data[].attributes.subject
You can meditate anywhere with these free meditation apps

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Did you know that over 2,500 meditation apps have been launched since 2015? How incredible is it to know that, when you're ready to download a meditation app and start practicing meditation, you'll never feel short-changed in terms of options. There are meditation apps for pretty much anything you're interested in learning and doing. There are apps that offer simple, fuss-free meditation timers with a gentle bell sound; apps that offer guided meditation series based on your mood, health concerns, or other wellness goals; apps that offer walking meditations, acupressure lessons, and mindfulness education; and apps that offer all of the above. And a few of them are even free.

It can be a double-edged sword sometimes, though, since 2,500 (plus!) apps might seem like a frightening number of options to consider, especially if you're just getting into meditation at home. One easy way to help narrow your search is to consider your budget. Yes, you can absolutely pay a reasonable fee for an app that offers a few more bells and whistles. And there are some fantastic meditation apps that are free to download and offer a limited number of free basic meditations or a free trial before you're encouraged to upgrade to a premium membership ( MyLife and Headspace are just a couple top-rated apps like this).

But might we suggest you start your mental wellness journey with a totally and completely free meditation app? It's the best no-strings-attached way to dip your toe into everything from meditation basics to mindfulness-based breathing techniques, guided sessions to emotional check-ins. Because who needs to have another slow-building subscription fee hanging over their heads? A meditation app is supposed to help relieve stress, not add to it!

Here are five free meditation apps to check out before shelling out for something you might not stick with (although, we think you likely will).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Completely Free Meditation Apps to Help Center Your Mind

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Did you know that over 2,500 meditation apps have been launched since 2015? How incredible is it to know that, when you're ready to download a meditation app and start practicing meditation, you'll never feel short-changed in terms of options. There are meditation apps for pretty much anything you're interested in learning and doing.

# data[].attributes.body
One of the websites (Headspace) that we have been exploring has its own colorful app.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meditation and Sleep Made Simple - Headspace

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app.

# data[].attributes.body
Despite the growing popularity of meditation, prevailing misconceptions about the practice are a barrier that prevents many people from trying meditation and receiving its profound benefits for the body, mind, and spirit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the past forty years, meditation has entered the mainstream of modern Western culture, prescribed by physicians and practiced by everyone from business executives, artists, and scientists to students, teachers, military personnel, and - on a promising note - politicians. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan meditates every morning and has become a major advocate of mindfulness and meditation, as he describes in his book, A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit. Despite the growing popularity of meditation, prevailing misconceptions about the practice are a barrier that prevents many people from trying meditation and receiving its profound benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. Here are seven of the most common meditation myths dispelled.

Myth #1: Meditation is difficult.

Truth: This myth is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric practice reserved only for saints, holy men, and spiritual adepts. In reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced, knowledgeable teacher, meditation is easy and fun to learn. The techniques can be as simple as focusing on the breath or silently repeating a mantra. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is that we try too hard to concentrate, we're overly attached to results, or we're not sure we are doing it right. In our experience at the Chopra Center, learning meditation from a qualified teacher is the best way to ensure that the process is enjoyable and you get the most from your practice. A teacher will help you understand what you're experiencing, move past common roadblocks, and create a nourishing daily practice.

Myth #2: You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.

Truth: This may be the number one myth about meditation and is the cause of many people giving up in frustration. Meditation isn't about stopping our thoughts or trying to empty our mind - both of these approaches only create stress and more noisy internal chatter. We can't stop or control our thoughts, but we can decide how much attention to give them. Although we can't impose quiet on our mind, through meditation we can find the quiet that already exists in the space between our thoughts. Sometimes referred to as "the gap," this space between thoughts is pure consciousness, pure silence, and pure peace. When we meditate, we use an object of attention, such as our breath, an image, or a mantra, which allows our mind to relax into this silent stream of awareness. When thoughts arise, as they inevitably will, we don't need to judge them or try to push them away. Instead, we gently return our attention to our object of attention.In every meditation, there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this state of expanded awareness and silence.

Be assured that even if it feels like you have been thinking throughout your entire meditation, you are still receiving the benefits of your practice. You haven't failed or wasted your time. When Chopra Center co-founder Dr. David Simon taught meditation, he would often tell students, "The thought I'm having thoughts may be the most important thought you have ever thought, because before you had that thought, you may not have even known you were having thoughts. You probably thought you were your thoughts." Simply noticing that you are having thoughts is a breakthrough because it begins to shift your internal reference point from ego mind to witnessing awareness. As you become less identified with your thoughts and stories, you experience greater peace and open to new possibilities.

Myth #3: It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.

Truth: The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate and in the first few days of daily practice. Many scientific studies provide evidence that meditation has profound effects on the mind-body physiology within just weeks of practice. For example, a landmark study led by Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that as little as eight weeks of meditation not only helped people experience decreased anxiety and greater feelings of calm; it also produced growth in the areas of the brain associated with memory, empathy, sense of self, and stress regulation. At the Chopra Center, we commonly hear from new meditators who are able to sleep soundly for the first time in years after just a few days of daily meditation practice. Other common benefits of meditation include improved concentration, decreased blood pressure, and enhanced immune function. See the article Why Meditate? for more benefits of meditation.

Myth #4: Meditation is escapism.

Truth: The real purpose of meditation isn't to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true Self - that eternal aspect of yourself that goes beyond all the ever-changing, external circumstances of your life. In meditation you dive below the mind's churning surface, which tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness. In this state of transcendent awareness, you let go of all the stories you've been telling yourself about who you are, what is limiting you, and where you fall short - and you experience the truth that your deepest Self is infinite and unbounded. As you practice on a regular basis, you cleanse the windows of perception and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation as a form of escape - as a way to bypass unresolved emotional issues - this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about meditation and mindfulness. In fact, there are a variety of meditation techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release stored emotional toxicity. If you are coping with emotional upset or trauma, we recommend that you work with a therapist who can help you safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to your natural state of wholeness and love.

Myth #5: I don't have enough time to meditate.

Truth: There are busy, productive executives who have not missed a meditation in twenty-five years, and if you make meditation a priority, you will do it. If you feel like your schedule is too full, remember that even just a few minutes of meditation is better than none. We encourage you not to talk yourself out of meditating just because it's a bit late or you feel too sleepy.

In life's paradoxical way, when we spend time meditating on a regular basis, we actually have more time. When we meditate, we dip in and out of the timeless, spaceless realm of consciousness . . . the state of pure awareness that is the source of everything that manifests in the universe. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, our blood pressure lowers, and our body decreases the production of stress hormones and other chemicals that speed up the aging process and give us the subjective feeling that we are "running out of time." In meditation, we are in a state of restful alertness that is extremely refreshing for the body and mind. As people stick with their meditation ritual, they notice that they are able to accomplish more while doing less. Instead of struggling so hard to achieve goals, they spend more and more time "in the flow" - aligned with universal intelligence that orchestrates everything.

Myth #6: Meditation is a spiritual or religious practice.

Truth: Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of the mind into a place of stillness and silence. It doesn't require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs. Some meditators have no particular religious beliefs or are atheist or agnostic. They meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the numerous physical and mental health benefits of the practice - including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep. The original reason that Deepak Chopra began meditating was to help him stop smoking. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy whatever we do in our lives more fully and happily - whether that is playing sports, taking care of our children, or advancing in our career.

Myth #7: I'm supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.

Truth: Some people are disappointed when they don't experience visions, see colors, levitate, hear a choir of angels, or glimpse enlightenment when they meditate. Although we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate, including feelings of bliss and oneness, these aren't the purpose of the practice. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the other hours of the day when we're going about our daily lives. When we emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative, compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we encounter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the past forty years, meditation has entered the mainstream of modern Western culture, prescribed by physicians and practiced by everyone from business executives, artists, and scientists to students, teachers, military personnel, and - on a promising note - politicians.

# data[].attributes.headline
Collection of beautiful and inspiring meditation quotes

# data[].attributes.subject
Collection of beautiful and inspiring meditation quotes

# data[].attributes.body
Every class, one student can read one of these quotes and then start meditating.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading and sharing daily meditation quotes can inspire you to meditate, and they ignite positive thought processes throughout the day. Here are 33 of our favorite mindfulness meditation quotes to save and read ― and share on Instagram & Twitter!