Why Meditate? Because it Works

About the Book

Why Meditate? Because it Works will inspire you to begin your meditation journey.

Written by Jillian Lavender, one of the most experienced and in-demand meditation teachers in the world, Why Meditate? Because it Works delivers a modern, accessible and trustworthy explanation of what meditation is, and most importantly, what it will do for you. Jillian delves into why a daily meditation practice is so necessary for your busy life.

As co-founder of London and New York Meditation Centres, Jillian has taught Vedic Meditation to thousands of people across the globe. She now shares her much soughtafter wisdom in her debut book. Jillian busts common myths and explains the science and benefits of meditation in a clear and easy way. Beautiful illustrations, real-life stories from students, and simple starter tips weave together to form a foundation to truly understand meditation and inspire you to seek a practice of your own.

'Meditation has been transformational to my health. Learning with Jillian was a liberation. Her normal approach to meditation means it's enjoyable and easy to do. I don't have a single client I wouldn't recommend it to.' - Amelia Freer

'Why Meditate? delivers very eloquent, fascinating and easily absorbed information about meditation and what it can and will do for you with regular practise.' - The Curiosity Gap

About the Author :
Jillian Lavender has been teaching Vedic Meditation since 2003. As co-founder of London Meditation Centre and New York Meditation Center, she has helped thousands of people across the globe to transform their lives.

Originally from New Zealand, Jillian held senior business roles in Sydney, Paris and New York. During this demanding time leading global publishing companies, she learned Vedic Meditation. The improvements to her life were immediate - stress levels began to dissolve and fatigue quickly subsided. This inspired her to become a teacher and share these benefits with others.

Alongside teaching meditation, Jillian is also an expert in Ayurveda and consults on health, diet, sleep, fertility and lifestyle. She delivers this ancient knowledge in an accessible and practical way.

Review :
Jillian makes a very convincing argument via her book why a daily meditation practise is truly necessary for our busy lives. I learnt to meditate with Jillian at a very stressful point in my life (they say that meditation finds you when you need it most). As a wellbeing editor I have been taught by many people in many different ways, but there's something about the way Jillian teaches in such depth that for me made it all click. Her meditation practise is backed up by years and years of research and knowledge: from the way she explains how our brains work; about what exactly happens when we meditate; about its' effect not just on our minds, but our bodies and health and every aspect of our lives from work, to creativity, to energy, and relationships. It is the only type of meditation I could stick to, where everything falls away. It's like sprinkling magic dust over your life. Meditation allows me to live a fuller and more present life. It helps me sleep better - I fall asleep easier and stay asleep through the night. Jillian makes meditation manageable in a practical, judgment-free way. She's so calm and serene you want to know what her secret is - luckily for us, she teaches it for a living! Meditation has been life changing for me - I'm so glad I invested the time in learning how to meditate properly. I'd tried meditating with apps and never felt like I was getting anywhere. I love working with Jillian because she's so down to earth. She understands how to fit meditation into our busy lives in a way that's enjoyable and easy. Without a doubt, meditation is the best way to change my mood and help me cope with stress. The best book about meditation I've come across. Jillian cuts through the noise around what meditation is with clarity and authenticity. We know the devastating toll stress is having on our health. Understanding the power of meditation as a tool for combatting this is invaluable. I'm so pleased Jillian is sharing her life-changing wisdom with the world. What we all need right now is meditation.

In this straightforward book Jillian lays out what meditation is in a no-nonsense, mumbo-jumbo free language. There's nothing arcane or esoteric here: Vedic Meditation is presented in a clear and entirely modern context, and addresses the work-a-day stuff frequently not addressed in other texts on the subject. It's an essential book, on a practice we need more than ever.

It would be an understatement to say that Vedic Meditation has improved my life. Every aspect is elevated, general mood, sleep, my ability to deflect stress from work issues, my focus, and perhaps most importantly what I bring to my family, which is simply being present, and enjoying it!

I can't imagine life without meditation. My husband and I have been meditating since 1991 and it has supported the best of who I am and how I am. I believe in wellbeing and for me wellbeing exists across six spheres - physical, occupational, psychological, economic, social and spiritual. I take care of myself across all of these and my spiritual sphere is rooted in meditation. Meditation is spiritual and enlightening, as well as practical and grounding. For me, awareness is key to living better. I believe that a thought is not a fact, your thoughts create your world and that you are everything that
you choose - thoughts included. We have negative thoughts and positive thoughts. Awareness of these thoughts enables you to choose which thoughts you listen to. Meditation supports and embeds that practice by choosing away from thoughts and returning to the mantra. This is invaluable as it strengthens the practice of awareness followed by choice in waking consciousness. Also, Vedic meditation is effortless. If you are struggling or trying, you're not doing it correctly. I love that. I love effortless. My three kids meditate, too. I say the family that meditates together stays together.

The physical and mental benefits of meditation are well founded but I think the brilliance of Jillian is how she makes this powerful, transformative practice so much more accessible and enjoyable for those who use her methods. I loved having her on my podcast where she spoke with a deep knowledge about the fascinating science behind meditation and shared her own journey to discovering the ancient practice. Meditation has improved my life exponentially, in far too many ways than there is room to list here. The most noticeable life changers have come from simply sitting down, twice a day and letting go of trying, controlling and doing and just allowing things to happen as they are around me. I'm a much more chilled-out, less tense person now, at home, at work, around a dinner table. Plus, I'm not constantly tired. That is a life-changer in itself!