I get it, when you think meditation, you think of buddha, monks and people sat in a funny position, staring at a wall for hours and just breathing. Maybe, you even think it’s all a bit too arty, spiritual and a little too out there. I used to feel that way too.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Laura Simpson, a 36 year old female who is neither a Buddhist or a monk, I am just like you. I am a guided meditation, wellbeing, and positive life coach. This practice has changed my whole world, helping me not only recover from illness, but transforming my entire life.

I had preconceived ideas about meditation many years ago, something I now actually find very ignorant of myself, as I had no idea about the practice and was only basing my beliefs on prejudgment, that had no backing.

So, what changed?

Well, aged 29 I was hit with toxic shock syndrome. TSS that left me bedbound, hospitalized and suffering from 5 horrific autoimmune conditions. These conditions included Interstitial cystitis, Fibromyalgia, and folliculitis. Pumped full of meds, in excruciating pain daily, urinating 70 times a day and told I could never heal, I thought my life was over.

I hit a really low point after 2 years, a point that made everything change.

2016 I took control, I decided it was time to heal. I was going to heal myself and others, and that’s exactly what I have done. Embarking on a huge 5 year natural healing journey. Diet, herbs, supplements, holistic dentistry, natural products, these elements helped me to get 50% better. The missing piece, the mind and body connection, that’s when real healing took place.

When I was first introduced to meditation 5 years ago, I first looked at it in regards the physical aspect of health. I learnt all about our parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system (SNS.) How the SNS releases bad toxins, bacteria, and inflammation. How the PNS releases good and stimulates digestion, activates metabolism, and helps the body to relax. I learnt that we humans are living in our SNS system way more than we should be and that the key was bringing balance into the body through PNS dominance. The best way to do this, meditation.

As I delved further into the world of meditation, I realised there were many different forms to this ancient practice, and this was about so much more than just the breath and physical element of health. How meditation connects us to the emotional part of our being.

Emotional Healing

Throughout my journey to wellness, I kept hearing about the importance of emotional healing, how this was necessary not only for physical health but also in how we live our lives.

When I heard the words emotional healing, I thought not for me. I had a fantastic life, a great upbringing, a good job, a busy social life. I didn’t have anxiety or depression. I didn’t need to do any work on emotions. How wrong I was.

As humans, we go through so much in our lifetimes, personally and professionally. All of us. We process thousands of thoughts and emotions daily. We go through tough times and experiences in relationships, we experience loss and grief, we have high pressure from our careers, and we are constantly putting strain on ourselves to be accepted and appreciated by society.

All encounters through life, shape us into the people we are. We build subconscious thought patterns and behaviours based on everything we go through. We are constantly reacting and responding to everything we think. Although we are rarely aware.

Right now, stop for a second, really pause and take a moment. How often do you stop, standstill, reflect and take time to process what’s running through your head?

Hardly ever, right? … Yet your thoughts, beliefs and emotions shape your entire being.

Guided Meditation

As my meditation developed, and I followed guides, I started to experience connections to old emotions. Emotions that were trapped within the body, that I didn’t even realise. I thought I needed to heal the now, what I didn’t realise was that the now was based on the then.

An example, one of the first things that came up was my very first relationship, the first boy I loved, when I was 16. I was over the relationship and the person, but what I wasn’t over was the emotion that relationship brought me, my first encounter with rejection. I realised that was an emotion I needed to heal. Rejection is a constant in our lives. Professionally, I had worked directly in sales and as a manager, rejection was a huge part of my working life. Activating my SNS subconsciously, constantly on a loophole that I didn’t even realise. It was amazing how guided meditation alone led me to this, how my illness didn’t even come up and how my personal life related to my professional and vice versa.

Then came the exciting part, I learnt to address and re-shift the emotion and deal with any subconscious behaviours that had been shaped as part of it. Fear, pain, worry, letting go, confidence, acceptance.

This is just one example. Everything is taught behaviour. The way we think, feel and are, all starts with the mind.

Silencing the overactive mind, connecting to that still small voice, and engaging with inner wisdom and strength can bring so much to your life. Once we connect to inner self, and let the body tell us what it needs to heal from we then enter the state of shifting neurological patterns, habits.

Outside of the above, we learn to stay present in meditation, to focus on the here and now, to connect with ego, build confidence, overcome fears, have faith in the storm, manifest goals and so much more.

Emotions are just one part of the recipe of success

To truly relax and destress, switch off from everyday life, to connect with your body and mind, your most treasured possessions, is more important than ever. It’s not only important, but also a truly fantastic experience and the impact and benefits can be life changing.

Everything in my life has changed personally and professionally, a true awakening has taken place and I would never look back. I still meditate daily as this is about consistency and commitment and I thoroughly enjoy the practice.

I use meditation as a form of relaxation, to stay focused, to achieve my goals, to take time out for me, to rest, to reflect and to achieve success. I use it to connect with self, to live authentically and to live my best life, happily and freely. I work with individuals and businesses having studied hard and gained an accreditation in the field.

10 years ago I would have been the least likely person to meditate, I am so happy I took a chance on it and am grateful for all this practice has brought my life. I ask everyone I work with to view

meditation simply as a massage for the mind. We invest in back massages, body massages and take care of our physical bodies through exercise and yoga, we invest time and money in our appearance, why not the mind…

For me this is something every single individual should do. This can change your life, investing in self is not only necessary its priceless…

• It’s estimated 200 – 500 million people meditate worldwide
  
• Since 2012, the number of people who practice meditation has tripled
  
• Meditation improves anxiety levels 60% of the time
  
• Meditation can reduce the risk of being hospitalized for coronary disease by 87%
  
• Meditation relieves the symptoms of insomnia 75% of the time
  
• Meditation can reduce PMS symptoms by 57%
  
• Meditation may lower blood pressure 80% of the time
  
• Meditation can increase your attention span after only 4 days
  
• 60% of people who practice meditation find that it improves their energy, while for 50% meditation aids in their memory and focus
  
• Meditation can lead to a 30% decrease in stress related symptoms, that often lead to serious illness
  
• Meditation improves self-image and self-worth
  
• Promote emotional health and wellbeing
  
• Build confidence
  
• Emotional wellbeing

Thank you for reading my story. Change your life by investing in yourself.

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