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Signs of Progress in Meditation

In the following, I will talk about some of the most important signs that I believe are indicative of making progress in meditation. Since I started using the Sunnyray method of meditation, I noticed several improvements which I thought were important in my case. Hopefully, you will find them important in your case too. Please let me know what you think in the comments below. I would very much appreciate your input.

1. You are much calmer! You are feeling much calmer. Moreover, you experience periods of prominent calmness during your meditation session that you have never experienced before. As if everything inside of you has slowed its pace, if just for a brief moment. This translates into your day-to-day life, where you are able to effectively deal with any stressful situation. When stress comes to your life, you are able to cope with it without getting excited so easily. Even if you get out of balance, you will be able to quickly restore your inner peace.
2. You are much happier! Your subjective feeling of happiness is increased. If you are doing great, you are naturally happy. If things are not great, you are still happy. You realize that happiness comes from within. You are happy because your inner being is happy. If you rely on external objects or circumstances to make you happy, your happiness is only temporary.
3. You see the truth about yourself more easily! On the other hand, you realize that you are not perfect, which may bring some frustration. This realization has to come sooner or later, because if you meditate often, your self awareness is increased. You see the inner flaws and downsides of your character. You see that you need to change. You see that you have been living in a cloud of illusion about yourself. If you are not realizing this illusion, then, probably you are not making a substantial progress in your meditation.
4. Your concentration is much better! Your awareness has expanded. Because you see the world with more clarity, the events and people around your have less power over you. They don't distract you that easily. You can maintain your focus during meditation and out of it for much longer periods of time. This is great if you are student or if your job requires mental effort, but also good concentration can come in handy in every occasion.
5. You sleep much better. In meditation you get in touch with your inner world of spirituality, which helps you fall asleep more easily and your sleep is natural and deep. Not only that. Your dreams are more vibrant and colorful and they carry far more meaning. If it happens that you wake up in the night, you easily go back to sleep. In the morning, you feel refreshed and your strength is fully recovered. If you haven't done so, start recording your dreams, in order to explore their meaning in a consistent manner. This activity can be a great fun in itself.
6. Your mind is sharper than ever! Your thoughts are clearer and sharper. You are able to find solutions to your problems in a creative and imaginative way. While before the same thoughts were going through your mind over and over again, not you get fresh and inspiring ideas all the time. In fact, now you are able to penetrate with greater ease through the first layers of thoughts, desires and emotions. In turn, this leaves you more open to the deeper layers of your mind, from where inspiration, creativity and imagination flow more easily.
7. Your body is in a better shape! You feel a boost of energy in the body. You feel 10 years younger. You feel as if you don't have to carry the same weight on your shoulders. If there have been some chronic pains in your life, they seem to be less intense now. In fact, it takes some time for any positive effect of meditation to show up. But the end result is cumulative. The more you exercise meditation, the better off you are. Your body is changed, but your brain is changed too. Every time you meditate, some neural connections in your brain are rearranged. Think rewiring your brain. Think neuroplasticity.
8. You get things done faster and with more ease! Your effectiveness is multiplied. Whatever you do, you do it faster and the quality of your work is increased. Your family notices this, and your boss too.
9. You are more in the here and now! People usually spend the entire day reliving the past events or planning for the future. They are rarely in the present moment, in the here and now. As you advance in meditation, your mind becomes more focused and you start enjoying the present moment more. That's huge benefit, because you are only truly alive and aware in the present moment - NOW. In fact, when this living-in-the-now approach happens, you won't be so much concerned about making progress in meditation. One day it may happen that you feel delighted and ecstatic in your meditation. The next day it also may happen that you feel totally closed and bothered. These changes don't bother you any more, as you know deep down inside that everything happens for a reason. You totally embrace these changes.
10. Other people change their attitude toward you! When meditation becomes the central point of your life, other people sense that. They sense that your are a different person now. They notice that you have changed, they see that you are less stressed, more relaxed, more open, more friendly toward them and that you have a general positive attitude toward everything. As a result of your transformation, they also change their attitude toward you. Note that you may lose some old friends because of that. Likewise you may gain some new friends.
11. You have more control over your emotional reactions! Being a regular meditator, you are much more aware of your instantaneous emotional reactions. You are able to stop most adverse reactions on your part before they become visible. You realize that you don't have to react blindly, that you have a choice to react without frustration, in a constructive way. You don't lose your temper that easily.

What is your biggest sign of progress in meditation? Please share your thoughts below. Namaste!

About the Author

sunny breeze is a member of sunnyray's staff.

Comments:

Venkateswarlu.I says:
06-24-2016

I am happy and more enlightened

sunnyray says:
06-26-2016

Hi Venkateswarlu. I'm very happy to hear that. Meditation, enlightenment, and happiness go hand in hand. Thanks for sharing.

Varjan says:
07-05-2016

This post is so true. I know when I can do my meditation sadhana right, I feel so happy, free, and blissful. Whathever you do, dont give up on your meditation. You'll go through all the darkness and the clear light of day will shine up. Thanks a lot.

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