Meditation in Fort Worth has increased lately. The amount of offerings surrounding mindfulness, pranayama, yoga philosophy, and an assortment of meditation techniques is more than I’ve seen in the past.
Why is meditation on the rise in Fort Worth? Here are some possible reasons:
1. Big Business. The keyword for business in 2017 was mindfulness. Business owners and corporations were (and are) looking for ways to attract new talent and provide the best work environment for their employees.
I recently gave a yoga asana class at Stryker. Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies. Their offices was as innovative as any I’ve seen, with a gym, cubbies to hide in if you needed to focus on work, a meditation room, free healthy snacks and drinks, and even several common spaces that looked like the inside of a nice coffee shop.
They offer so many amenities to their employees. This is very different than others I’ve seen and perhaps this is one of the reasons why they attract high performing individuals.
It’s important to take care of employees. DFW companies as a whole do this extremely well.
2. Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs are looking to move their minds quickly and improve aspects of their business with laser precision. Doing this can drain willpower if a routine isn’t established. According to Kelly McGonigal, author of the Willpower Instinct, Meditation is one of the best ways to increase willpower.
All you need to do is look towards high performing individuals such as Tim Ferriss, Tony Robbins, Rick Reubin, Lady Gaga, or Oprah Winfrey to recognize certain patterns. One of them being a morning meditation practice.
For those looking to succeed at such high speeds, slowing down is extremely important. The ability to clearly perceive a problem and create steps to remedy this problem requires slower thinking, not faster. Coming up with brilliant ideas that change the landscape of a city, a country, or the world requires space between thoughts, not scattered thinking.
For this, one pointed concentration is employed. The ability to move the attention to one thing and hold it there is what separates a Thomas Jefferson from the norm. Some people still believe meditation is for monks and hippies, but this thought is old. Meditation requires discipline.This is why entrepreneurs can become highly effective meditators. Their lives require discipline.
3. Fads aren’t working. Some individuals like to prescribe miracle pills for everything. Or diets. This isn’t just Big Pharma or your local doctor, it’s pervasive in new age forums and yoga communities. Miracle drugs and diets are proclaimed to be the saviors of many ailments, but there is not a cure for lack of basic care. Exercise, healthy eating, meditation, and community are hugely important.
Meditation is getting the credit it deserves. Deep states can operate much like sleep and some say even better than sleep. Accessing different brainwaves than we normally can when we’re awake signals the body to start the cleaning process normally reserved for sleeping. There are other benefits as well, such as mental clarity, emotional purification, and connection to a higher part of yourself. You may find yourself shirking the last benefit, saying it’s too meta for you. This article is even more for you then. I urge you to try it, with a teacher, someone who can guide you through the process and have been there themselves.
Meditation is an ancient practice. To direct the mind to a singular point of concentration over a sustained amount of time is beneficial in all areas of life: spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically. It opens up a level of clarity and a connection to a deeper purpose in life as well as a contentment and appreciation for all that is around us.
These are just a shortlist of the reasons why I think meditation is becoming more prevalent in western society.
What are some of your top reasons why you think the practice is growing?