The Benefits of Meditation: Walter Yitzchak Reissman Explains Why and How to Give It a Try

Walter Yitzchak Reissman has 30 years of experience on Wall Street. He’s also the creator of ‘The Reissman Method’ practiced for Breakthroughs in Professional life, Career, Wellness, and Spiritual Health. He is passionate about blending financial success with mental and emotional health. He has found meditation to be very beneficial for financial and mental wellness.

What is Meditation?

Before we look at the benefits of meditation, it’s important to understand what it is. Walter Yitzchak Reissman explains that meditation is a way of quieting the mind, training attention, and gaining perspective. Normally, we allow our thoughts to go where they will. Using one form of meditation, you focus your thoughts in a specific way.

The methods vary based on the type of meditation. You may have an image of meditation that includes sitting in the lotus position and turning off your mind. However, meditation can look very different from this. Mindfulness is the most popular form practiced in the West. It involves sitting quietly and observing your thoughts without judgment.

Another popular form of meditation involves focusing on an action. This includes walking, yoga, mantras, and even activities like running, swimming, and sewing.

Benefits of Meditation

One of the most cited benefits of meditation is stress reduction. Walter Yitzchak Reissman notes that meditation has been proven to reduce stress in literally thousands of studies. In today’s high-pressure world, everyone can benefit from stress relief.

In addition to relieving stress, it can reduce the symptoms of stress-related disorders including irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, and post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD.
It’s also been shown to relieve anxiety. In fact, one study revealed that those with the highest levels of anxiety saw the biggest reduction in anxiety symptoms.

Walter Yitzchak Reissman states that meditation increases self-awareness and lengthens attention span. Both of these are useful in many aspects of life, including financial success.

From an emotional or spiritual perspective, meditation increases kindness and positive thinking. This begins with the person themselves and radiates outward to those they interact with.
Physically, meditation improves sleep, lowers blood pressure, and helps relieve pain.

How to Start Meditating

If you are interested in the benefits of meditation, you don’t need any special equipment to get started. In fact, you can meditate nearly anywhere. Start by finding a comfortable seat. This may be in your favorite chair or on a pillow. The correct position is the one that’s right for you.

The easiest way to get started is by focusing on your breathing. Find a slow steady rhythm for your breathing. Close your eyes, and begin counting your breaths. If you find counting distracting, you can simply breathe slowly in 4 counts and out 4 to 6 counts.

If your mind begins to wander, gently bring it back to your breath. Don’t judge your thoughts. Just be aware of them, and then focus on your breath again. Do this each time your thoughts move away.

One of the keys to meditation is to become aware of your thoughts. In the beginning, your mind will wander quickly. This isn’t a failure on your part. You are learning how to notice what your mind is doing, instead of letting thoughts flow without awareness. As you continue to practice, you will have longer periods of focus before your mind wanders.

Walter Yitzchak Reissman recommends starting small. 5 to 10 minutes a day is a good starting goal. As you become accustomed to meditation, work your way up to at least 20 minutes a day.