Meditation

Meditation now plays an important role in military training and is also a highly effective strategy in helping veterans enjoy a better quality of life. At Internal Expressions in Aldie, Virginia, Navy veteran Michael Williams works with active and retired military members, coaching them through challenging periods and helping them be their best through meditation. To learn more about how meditation is helping military members succeed and excel in life, call the office or book your appointment online today. 

What is meditation?

Meditation is an ancient practice that started as early as 3000 BCE. In meditation, you use one of more than 100 specific techniques to focus your thoughts, achieve mental clarity, and attain an internal sense of calmness. 

At Internal Expressions, Michael Williams teaches the meditation practice that best suits the needs and goals of military veterans and active military personnel: mindfulness meditation. 

What is mindfulness meditation?

Mindfulness meditation involves:

Meditation

In meditation, you use practices like deep breathing and focused awareness to turn your thoughts inwards. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a specific set of practices you can incorporate into your meditation. 

It teaches you to accept your thoughts and feelings without dwelling on them. You learn how to be fully present in each moment, observing everything within and around you. 

Michael has specialized training in meditation and mindfulness. He knows the power of these techniques through personal experience and is dedicated to helping others discover the benefits of mindfulness meditation as well. 

What are the benefits of meditation?

Mindfulness meditation offers tremendous benefits, especially for active-duty military members and veterans who may be struggling with focus, stress, mood, motivation, and other aspects of life.  

When you incorporate mindfulness into your formal meditation, you’ll become more naturally aware, focused, and mindful even when you’re not meditating. 

You can also practice deliberate mindfulness in your daily life outside of meditation. For example, if you struggle with staying focused or getting distracted, mindfulness techniques can hone your attention quickly. 

In studies, active-duty military members who practiced mindfulness training like breathing techniques and internal focus strategies experienced better attention, fewer distractions, an improved ability to gather important information when surrounded by chaos, and improved memory. Those soldiers made fewer errors as well, demonstrating improved cognitive function. 

Mindfulness is also extremely beneficial for veterans. It’s proven to be an effective stress management strategy that improves resilience, helps with depression, and even helps manage chronic pain.

When will I see results from meditation?

Michael can coach you in customized meditation and mindfulness practices that you can include daily. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, these practices can help rewire your brain in only a couple of weeks.  

Ready to discover the advantages of meditation and mindfulness? Call Internal Expressions or use on the online scheduler to get help from a veteran coach who understands your needs.