Why Has Meditation Become So Popular?

Meditation has been getting traction ever since the 19th century, and there’s a good reason for it. 

No one in their right mind would abstain from something that significantly reduces stress and paves the path for clear thinking, retrieves focus, and makes us overall high achievers. 

The best part is that the effects are long-lasting, even if you take a substantial break from meditation. 

Anyone has the capacity to sit down and meditate, but most won’t because we are used to instant gratification and the craving for instant gratification only keeps getting worse. 

Fortunately, it’s never too late to turn that around, even if it’s preferable to start meditating at an early age, to condition the mind to stick with the practice and cultivate it as a daily routine. 

Meditation Is Not a Magic Pill

Many who start practicing meditation have a material goal in mind. There’s nothing wrong with that in itself, but it does help to have a deeper goal that’s not reliant on an outcome, but instead, letting things fall into place. 

It’s normal to want to move in a positive direction, but fortunately, with meditation, if you do it right, you can get feedback from the practice relatively quickly. Which will overall manifest in a progressive reduction in stress in a completely natural way. 

However, while the results of meditation can be seen with the practice, meditation isn’t a magic pill to solve all your problems. 

It’s more like a tool you can equip yourself with to make yourself capable of solving many of the problems you face in your day-to-day life. 

Those who struggle with self-love find some sort of salvation with meditation, since, with meditation, we tap into an unfiltered side of ourselves that we sooner or later have to come to terms with. 

It’s only when we accept ourselves as who we are, and accept the situation we are in that we can actually change something about it. Up until that point, we are living in denial, either consciously or subconsciously. 

Another reason meditation isn’t just a magic pill meant to solve our problems is because meditation isn’t addictive and can literally be done at any time of the day. 

Most have a preconceived notion about what meditation will do for them and unreasonable timelines on how soon they will reap what they sowed with the practice, which is why many end up giving up in disappointment. 

A Simple, Easy Fix

By now, you’re aware that meditation isn’t a quick fix like a pill would often be portrayed. Instead, it’s a habit that over time pays dividends in the form of better focus, being able to stay present, and a more fulfilled life. 

One of the reasons meditation is so popular is because many see it as a magic pill that can get them through challenges without having to face any hardship. 

Most would gladly take the path of least resistance but still take the benefit of a hard path, so it gives many the idea that they are getting the best of both worlds with meditation. 

Fortunately, there are those that are attracted to meditation with unreasonable expectations but still manage to reap the rewards of meditation, because they stick with it long enough as a result of seeing themselves progress along the way, even when said progress doesn’t line up with what they thought it would be at the start. 

That’s why it’s so crucial to get meditation right, to find one that works for you. Not necessarily one that works for a lot of people, even if it’d be a good rule of thumb to keep it as simple as focusing on your breathing. 

Meditation Is Easily Accessible Everywhere

As I mentioned before, meditation can be done at any time of the day that works for you. There really isn’t a right or wrong. There is just your mind either being present or not being present. 

That’s what it boils down to, to enter a flow state where you condition yourself to perpetually remain in that state of mind over time. 

Even outside of meditation. It doesn’t matter if you’ve just got out of work, or school, are just starting your day, or are about to call it a day. Meditation at its core is keeping your focus on the present moment. 

When something is so easily accessible and free, it’s only natural for it to attract those who are on a serious quest to improve every aspect of their lives. 

Everyone wants to experience the benefits of meditation, but not everyone wants to go through the rigorous journey of getting there because the path for each individual differs. 

Meditation Doesn’t Have To Do With Anything Religious

There are those that get turned off by the idea of meditating because they associate the practice with something religious or think that they have to be spiritual. 

Meditation can be beneficial, even if you are a hardcore fan of science, at the end of the day, the benefits of meditation are there for most of those who stick with the routine over the long haul. 

And because meditation can be its own thing, completely independent from religion or spirituality, it has a mass appeal. 

Most don’t want to abandon or challenge their worldviews, but it happens by default to those that meditate once they start observing themselves. 

Either that or their pre-existing beliefs strengthen, but it all happens through self-discovery. A change from within is the most powerful type of change.

Less About Material Possessions, More About Fulfillment

It’s very common to get a strong sense of fulfillment through meditation that is not emanating from material possessions, but instead, self-exploration. 

That same joy you might’ve gotten from an attraction park, hiking, or whichever activity you find fun can often be replicated and create a similar sensation in meditation. 

It might not be exactly the same but the bare minimum threshold for happiness and fulfillment gets lowered and for many, it’s easier to fulfill. 

I don’t generalize since everyone’s experience with meditation is different, but if you could release dopamine from the comfort of your home with something as natural as meditation, you probably would press the “feel good” button all day long without needing to look far to find that sense of fulfillment. 

Final Thoughts

The combination of being able to feel relaxed with relative ease, and having that relaxation and calmness last, as well as improving other aspects of your life is what contributes to making meditation as popular as it has become today. 

Many don’t even know how much they would benefit from this self-improving habit that doesn’t have to take a significant portion of the time of the day. 

However, those who are fortunate to reach deep stages of relaxation with meditation prefer riding that wave. There are nearly no downsides to meditation for most people, and the average individual has everything to gain from it. 

The only major sacrifice with meditation is continuity, which, at some point, many see as an investment later down the line when they see the time they’ve put into their meditation come to fruition. 

That same comfort you get from a good sleep can be replicated when you’re awake and having your mind fully conscious, finding that sweet balance between being intensely relaxed and alert. 

With these benefits added up, it’s not hard to see why meditation has kept picking up traction over the years, and it’s likely to continue as more find out how simple but powerful the practice is.