Meditation is quite a popular practice in the modern world. People may start meditating for a variety of reasons. One of the most common ones is to calm the mind. According to research, mindfulness can even help fight post-traumatic syndrome (PTSD).

A vivid example of this is the story of Pentagon Lieutenant Colonel Steve Z. The man barely survived the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers on September 11. He was crushed by debris and lost consciousness. After this terrible day, the lieutenant spent months recovering. The most difficult thing was to recover — not physically, but mentally. Steve had difficulty perceiving loud noises, being in confined spaces, and even taking lifts. These are typical signs of post-traumatic syndrome. Steve's psychologist, who was helping him work through his trauma, suggested he try meditation. Now, the man says that this decision was one of his best and enabled him to return to his usual life.

Nevertheless, the main purpose of meditation is to explore yourself, your thoughts, and your emotions. Connecting with yourself and your inner world helps not only to heal trauma but also to understand your desires and who you are. One of the new characteristics of meditation that has only recently begun to be explored is the altered traits.

Altered traits are about how we feel and behave in our lives. This isn’t just some effect during or immediately after a meditation session. This is your lifestyle, which is shaped by practicing mindfulness. Altered traits include developing compassion, empathy, self-centeredness, love, and a sense of the here and now.

Contemporary psychology often overlooks mindfulness and altered traits as something unuseful in the context of trauma healing and self-understanding. However, numerous studies show that these practices have a lot in common with human psychology. As for meditations, they have various types and purposes. That is why the best solution will be to find the kind of mindfulness that is comfortable for you and helps you.

You shouldn’t overthink what and how to do if you are just starting your journey in meditation. Meditate as you feel. It can be sitting in the lotus position or lying on the sofa with headphones. The main thing is to feel the present moment and the connection with yourself. To understand why you should meditate, let’s learn more about this process, its history, and its importance. So, go on to the next chapter.