We thoroughly enjoy making meditation chairs and cushions to help people find a greater sense of calm and joy. But, is the making and selling products the MOST important aspect of what we're striving to do? No.
ULTIMATELY, at the core, we're really focused on improving and saving lives.
We often can get trapped in thinking so much about "what" that we forget about the "why" as Simon Sinek famously reminded us 15 years ago.
So if our company "why" is that we exist to help save lives by making meditation more accessible, then it's worth finding and sharing stories from people who have actually said, "meditation saved my life."
Sometimes, as a company, we get stuck thinking about our products and we forget about the efficacy of meditation and how it really can be hugely beneficial, so much so that it literally saves lives, and we need to be reminded of that.
With that in mind, here are a excerpts from various personal accounts on this topic. And to be clear, these stories are intense and real, so it's not to be taken lightly. And each person had incredible turn around that's worth bringing attention to.
This first story is from an article we found by Marcel Weiland (Sales Leader | Truth-Teller | Seeker)
Marcel's struggles:
“Several years ago my anxiety reached an unbearable level. I experienced a handful of severe panic attacks that resulted in ambulance trips to the hospital."
"I was 175 lbs overweight, severely depressed, and drinking and smoking like it was my job."
"These were dark times. The darkest I’ve experienced to this day. I was experiencing thoughts of suicide and I didn’t know how to help myself. I just felt completely hopeless.”
How meditation saved his life:
“Meditation gave me the tools I needed to feel a sense of control again. To feel hope. And to see a way out of the darkness. In the preceding months and years, I was able to gain better control over my anxiety and depression, I lost 150lbs, and I quit drinking and smoking. My life completely changed.”
________________________________Here’s a story from Lindsay Dyan
Lindsay's struggles:
"My marriage had ended, my life was in full-on upheaval mode..."
"I’d much rather be drinking coffee and chain chewing Nicorette for peace of mind..."
"Getting out of bed at noon was standard. I needed help. I decided that for 30 minutes each morning I would shut my eyes and listen to my breath. "
How meditation saved Lindsay's life:
Lindsay shares in beautiful detail how colorful her experiences were in meditation. And in the last paragraph writes, “Those 30 minutes became the most harmonious and enjoyable part of my day. I have never felt such balance and happiness in my entire life.
No romantic relationship, job, dog owned, money made, car owned and vacation ever compared to the pure happiness I experienced through mediation.”
________________________________Here's a story from Caesar F Barajas
Ceasar's pain:
“Despite my successes, my past traumas made it so that I was this close to being one of those 20-a-day suicide veteran statistics.
"I said, 'I have to talk to somebody.' Again, I grew up in a Latinx household. There is no talking about your feelings and my father, God bless him, is the strongest man I know, but the house doesn't really invite you to open up. I called this employee assistance program in 2010 and the first person I spoke to was a Marine Corps veteran who got me in touch with a therapist.”
How Ceasar changed his life with the practice of meditation:
“I joined the Veterans Yoga Project and discovered the physiology behind the breath. Coming from a science background, I have an understanding of what happens inside of our bodies systemically. I was like, 'Oh my gosh. Now it makes sense.' Breathing uses the vagus nerve, which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, and helps you relax.
“Meditation has allowed me to flourish into my career, but only this year have I been propelled to a place where I'm finally understanding who I am in my own self-worth and value.”
________________________________Next, here are some excerpts from Jim Hudson's recovery.
Jim's hardships:
“I was at a point in my life where things were going downhill in every way – especially emotionally. “
“...I was on a fast decline, rapidly spiraling into a deep depression.”
"My life was a mess a few years ago, and when I started meditating, I found out that my beliefs and values were directly creating what I was experiencing in my life."
How meditation saved Jim's life:
"So once you have been meditating a while, your creativity, your ability to create your life as you want it, increases exponentially. You are able to consciously decide and implement new thoughts and behaviors.”
“The benefits of meditation are so great it really does impact upon every area of your life because your mind and your brain dictate every other area. It regulates your body and everything changes. Your perception, your subjective reality changes”
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This next personal account is from Christopher Roberts
Christopher's pain:
“At age 19 and I sleep on the floor of my aunt’s study before she got me into housing for troubled youth.”
“I had a child at 21, a semi-toxic relationship, and a very low-paying job it seemed like the more I worked the more debt I would find myself in.”
“At 22 I was broke, overweight, jobless, separated from my child’s mother and I had a car that was broken down.”
Christopher's turn around:“I found within myself while meditating the most beautiful peace I could ever explain, a love for life, , and a constant humble excitement about it.”
You don’t have to hit rock bottom to find meditation. I found meditation when my family life was keeping me up at night. I would meditate before bed just to calm me down so I could sleep. It wasn't life threatening, but looking back it felt essential to my survival.
So if you’re wondering how to start, here’s an excerpt from the first article by Marcel Weiland.
"Sit down in a comfortable seat and close your eyes for 10 minutes. During this time, breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose taking deep, slow breaths. As thoughts arise in your mind, recognize them and let them pass. As you breathe, repeat a mantra in your mind. You can pick anything as your mantra, just make it meaningful to you and about 6-10 words in length. Here’s an example:"
"In through the nose: 'I am love'"
"Out through the mouth: 'I am peace'"
"When the time is up, open your eyes."
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Join us in our mission to save lives through mindfulness. Our meditation chairs, benches and cushions are crafted to enhance your meditation practice, providing the comfort and support you need to achieve mental clarity and tranquility.
