Training your mind is equally as important as training your body. Through meditation, your awareness and focus will increase, allowing you to enhance your martial arts practice.
Here are a few of the benefits of meditation that will also help you in your martial arts practice:
1. Reduces Stress
Stress has different effects on different people. But one constant thing is that no one enjoys the uneasy feeling stress brings. Meditation allows you to focus on something that you can control – your breath. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to close your eyes and sit in peace with yourself, focusing on your breath, can help clear your mind of what is weighing on you.
2. Enhances Self-Awareness
Some forms of meditation allow you to focus on yourself, where you gain a greater understanding of who you are and how you handle the world around you. Other forms of meditation focus on helping you recognize harmful or self-defeating thoughts so that you can direct your attention elsewhere, steering your thoughts in a more positive direction.
3. Lengthens Attention Span
Think of meditation like a martial arts class, where you’re working to increase the strength and endurance of your attention! When you can de-clutter your mind to focus on something important, meditation can help you stay focused longer. Another added benefit is the ability to strengthen your memory because your mind is not clouded with other thoughts.
4. Improves Sleep
It is no secret that a good night’s sleep is beneficial for just about everything. But imagine trying to do an activity that requires your undivided attention after a poor night of sleep. Meditation allows you to clear your mind. You breathe in new, fresh oxygen and breathe out the old, stale energy that is no longer serving you. Using this time to focus on your breathing and not the world around you will help you lay your head down to rest with a free and clear mind.
At The Way Family Dojo in Magnolia, we offer a variety of martial arts programs and classes for both adults and kids. To learn more about how to get started, contact us today.