You don’t have to sit cross-legged on a mountain to meditate
Let’s be honest. A lot of people have a weird relationship with the word meditation. Maybe it conjures up images of monks in silence or yoga instructors telling you to ‘just clear your mind’ while your brain is still busy thinking about what to have for tea. Or maybe you’ve tried it and felt like you were doing it wrong because your thoughts didn’t magically disappear.
I get it. Meditation can feel like this weird, inaccessible thing, especially if you’ve got an overactive mind or just struggle to sit still. But here’s the truth: meditation isn’t about emptying your brain or becoming super spiritual. It’s about taking a breath. Slowing down. Disrupting the chaos in your head long enough to come back to yourself.
It’s simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. And it’s definitely not boring once you know what’s going on under the surface. So if you’ve ever been curious but unsure, or even a bit sceptical, keep reading. I’m gonna share some benefits of meditation that most people don’t talk about. The stuff that surprised me when I started getting into it myself.
But first, let’s clear up what meditation actually is (and what it’s not).
What actually is meditation?
Not just sitting still and hoping for the best
At its core, meditation is simply the practice of paying attention. That’s it. It’s about bringing your awareness to the present moment. Whether that’s your breath, your body, the sounds around you, or even your thoughts. It’s about noticing what’s going on without trying to change it straight away.
There are loads of different styles and techniques, but the goal isn’t to have a completely silent mind. Spoiler: that’s not a thing. It’s to start building a bit of space between you and all the stuff constantly buzzing around in your head. You don’t have to be good at it. You don’t even have to do it for very long. It’s the practice that makes the difference.
Meditation can look like a lot of different things
For some people, it’s sitting in silence. For others, it’s listening to a voice guide them through a visualisation or body scan. It can be walking, breathing, lying down, or even washing the dishes if you’re doing it mindfully. There’s no one way to meditate. And if the idea of doing it on your own feels a bit daunting, that’s where guided meditation comes in. More on that in a bit.
5 Surprising Benefits of Meditation
1. It gives your nervous system a breather
When you’re stressed, anxious, or just generally wired, your nervous system is often stuck in fight-or-flight mode. Meditation helps you flip that switch. It guides you back into rest-and-digest, the state where your body can actually relax and recover.
Even thirty seconds of conscious breathing can make a difference. Seriously. It’s not always about doing an hour-long practice. It’s about disrupting the patterns that keep you stuck. Your body notices it first. Then your brain follows.
2. It makes your bullshit radar stronger
Meditation gives you that little bit of distance from your own thoughts. It helps you clock which thoughts are actually true and which are just old stories or other people’s voices stuck on loop.
You start noticing the difference between what feels aligned and what feels off. That awareness makes it harder for bullshit to slip past you unnoticed. It’s like your inner compass gets sharper, and you start trusting yourself more.
3. It helps you pause before spiralling
We’ve all had that one thought that turns into a full-blown anxiety spiral. Meditation won’t stop those thoughts from showing up, but it does help you slow down enough to notice them before they run the show.
It gives you a moment. Just one breath where you can choose not to jump on the panic train. And sometimes that’s all you need to change the outcome.
4. It boosts creativity (without forcing it)
When your mind is crammed with noise, there’s no space for anything new to come through. Meditation creates space. Not by forcing ideas, but by softening the mental clutter so creativity can sneak back in.
You don’t have to be an artist to benefit. Creative thinking helps with problem-solving, decision-making, even how you show up in conversations. And often, the best ideas arrive when you’re not trying so hard to think.
5. It reconnects you to yourself
Meditation helps you drop back into your body and your inner world. It’s a moment to slow down and actually feel what’s going on. Not fix it. Not analyse it. Just acknowledge it.
That kind of check-in is rare when life’s moving fast. But it’s powerful. You remember you’re a whole person, not just a mind racing ahead. You remember what it’s like to be present in your own life.
Guided meditation vs solo meditation
What’s the difference?
Solo meditation is usually something you do on your own. You might sit in silence, use a timer, follow your breath, or focus on a mantra. It’s a personal practice, and it can be powerful. But it also requires a lot of discipline, especially when you’re just starting out.
Guided meditation is a bit different. It’s still your practice, but someone leads you through it with words. That could be a voice in your headphones or someone in the room holding the space. It gives your mind something to focus on and can be especially helpful if you’re new to meditation or if your brain tends to run a mile a minute.
Why guided meditation can be more helpful
Having someone guide you means you don’t have to do all the heavy lifting. You just follow the voice, follow your breath, and let yourself be led into a quieter space. It’s like having a tour guide through your own inner world.
Plus, there’s something powerful about meditating in a group. Whether it’s in person or virtual, there’s a shared energy that helps you drop in more deeply. You’re not alone in it. You’re held, supported, and reminded that we’re all human, just trying to find a bit of peace.
Come try a guided meditation in person
If you’re curious about meditation but not sure where to start, come join me for a guided session. Every Tuesday at 7pm at Flow in MediaCity, we come together to slow down, breathe, and reconnect.
There’s no pressure, no weird chanting, no need to be good at it. Just a relaxed space where you can show up exactly as you are and give your nervous system a breather.
Ready to give it a go? Book your spot for this Tuesday’s guided meditation class here.
