Because people often question whether they are meditating correctly, they often doubt that it is making an impact in their daily lives. The presumed “quality” of your meditation experiences day to day is not an accurate gauge of whether your meditation practice is working. As long as you are meditating once a day for 30 minutes in the morning and evening—beginners can start with 10-15 minutes per session—over time you will begin to experience positive changes at some level. What these changes are and how quickly they occur is based on the individual and their personal routine. Some of the indicators that your meditation practice is working are:

• Becoming more mindful
• Developing stronger intuition
• Having increased objectivity
• Getting more restful sleep
• Pausing and thinking before reacting
• Feeling happy and joyful for no apparent reason
• Taking a deep breath more often
• Developing healthier relationships
• Experiencing a more intense spiritual practice
• Moving more easily into expanded states of consciousness

Another clear indication that your meditation practice is working is that, especially in the beginning, you will find that unresolved issues may suddenly begin to bubble up for you. Along with this may be thoughts and feelings you have long suppressed. This is normal. The work you’ve been doing in your meditation practice is helping clear out mental and emotional toxicity built up over time that hasn’t been addressed. Meditation is holistic, and so will help you deal with unresolved issues, whether from the present or the past. It may be hard to believe, especially when you are feeling bad, but this is a positive development as a critical first step in letting go of the past. And so, it is important to pay attention to your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations and address them as they arise. They are coming up so you can heal them. You may choose to engage a therapist, life coach, or other professional to help you in the healing process. Please note: Those suffering mental illness, who experience severe physical pain, and/or have a history of trauma are strongly recommended to consult with their physicians before undertaking any meditation practice.

It is important to have patience with this process, trusting that with consistency over time you will see positive results. Some changes are very subtle and will happen so naturally and gradually that you may not even notice them at first. Often it will be others who first notice the changes within you. Remember, the key with meditation is to be consistent.

Happy Meditating!

~Alicia