Meditate More: Quiet the Noise, Calm the Mind

By Kurt Bravata, M.D.

In Live Free or Diet I tell the reader to meditate more. Meditation is not simply an Eastern Tradition. I mean a practice that rests the body, steadies the mind, and — for those of us who follow Christ — fills the soul with something better than the noise we just turned off.

Meditation can take many forms. In Eastern religions, it typically refers to quieting the mind by emptying it of interfering thoughts and judgments. In Western cultures and Judeo-Christian practice, meditation refers to ruminating on Scripture, or on thoughts and mantras that are enlightening or uplifting, so they get deep in the soul through rehearsal and memory. Both involve attention. They are not the same aim.

What the Research Is Showing

Newer research is finding meditation useful for a range of health problems: easing chronic pain, reducing some gastrointestinal symptoms, and lowering blood pressure and stress in ways that protect the heart. With regular practice, people often report a deeper awareness of their inner state and a greater sense of control and balance. There is also evidence that meditation changes the brain — enlarging regions tied to thinking and learning, while quieting circuits that drive stress and anxiety. Even about ten minutes a day has been linked to measurable benefits.

That matches what I see clinically. A mind that never comes off the feed stays inflamed. A mind that sits still, even briefly, can reset. Soft tones and rhythmic sound can help. Harsh, negative input does the opposite. Music is not neutral. Neither is what you scroll.

This is support, not a cure. Meditation does not replace your clinician, your medication, or care for serious depression, trauma, or uncontrolled blood pressure. If you are stopping a prescribed medicine, do not do it because an app said to breathe.

Mindfulness, as I Describe It in Live Free or Diet

I briefly touch on meditation in my book: cultivate mental health through mindfulness or meditation, and be mindful about what you allow to influence your consciousness and shape your subconscious self. Scripture, mantras, music, and meditation can help program the thoughts that monopolize your mind. Negativity steals. Positivity heals.

Secular mindfulness — notice the breath, notice the thought, let it pass — can be a useful on-ramp. It teaches you that a craving or a worry is a visitor, not a command. That skill matters in recovery, in anxiety, and at 11 p.m. when your mind is louder than your soul. I am glad for the data on traditional mindfulness, but believe that one must not simply empty the mind, but also fill the soul.

How I Recommend Practicing It

Chapter 21 is titled "Meditate and Pray" for a reason. An individual who claims to follow Christ but does not immerse themselves in the Word of God and pray is like a ship flying a flag with no sails and no ammunition. We become discouraged and depressed through the emptiness we feel when we neglect our relationship with God, the source of light, life, and love.

So the form I recommend is simple:

Sit. Feet up if you need to. Close your eyes. Ten minutes is enough to start.

Let the body unwind. Burning the candle at both ends leaves a pile of wax and nothing left to burn.

Aim at rehearsal and refilling. A psalm. A line of Scripture. A prayer.

Pray as conversation, not performance. Thanks, confession, the need in front of you, forgiveness of anyone you are holding a grudge against, then deliverance from the trap you keep walking into.

Set the vibe. If it raises your pulse, it is not helping you meditate.

The devil pushes. The Lord leads. Follow peace.

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You don't need to be in a hyper spiritual state or to be having a perfect day. You need a daily return: quiet the interfering noise, then fill what you cleared with light and love. That is what meditation is. That is how a restless mind learns control while cultivating a healthy soul.

The fuller chapter is in Live Free or Diet — available on [Amazon](https://link.amazon/B07pgAnN1), [Audible](https://link.amazon/B0fzQmw3p), and [livefreeordietbook.com](https://livefreeordietbook.com). A daily line and a place to write live at [app.holistichuman.life](https://app.holistichuman.life).

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Educational only. Not a substitute for personal medical or pastoral care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988.