In today’s world, it’s harder than ever to feel calm, clear, and connected. Our nervous systems are constantly bombarded by stress, distractions, and expectations. It’s no wonder so many of us feel scattered, restless, or like we’ve lost touch with ourselves.

This is why finding the best meditation practice for your body, mind, and soul matters now more than ever. It isn’t just another wellness trend; it’s a proven way to regulate your nervous system, quiet inner stress, and reconnect with who you truly are.

And I know this not just because of the science, but because it changed my own life.

In 2012, I found myself sitting in my doctor’s office. She looked at me with kind eyes and suggested something I never expected: “You might want to try meditation.”

On the outside, I had every reason to feel content with a long, fulfilling career as a nurse, a loving family, and financial stability. Yet inside I felt restless, unsettled, and strangely empty. I had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro hoping for clarity, but even standing on one of the world’s highest peaks, I felt lower than ever.

Her simple suggestion turned out to be the beginning of a journey that would change everything.

Why Finding The Best Meditation Practice Feels So Overwhelming Today

If you’ve ever tried to explore meditation, you know how overwhelming it can feel. Everywhere you look, there’s a different technique or app promising transformation — better sleep, less stress, deeper spirituality.

Take the free Insight Timer app, for example. I use it to time my own practice, and it offers access to thousands of guided meditations. If you want to sleep better, there’s a meditation. To open your chakras, there’s a meditation. To forgive someone, there’s a meditation. To set boundaries, there’s a meditation. You get the idea.

It’s no wonder so many people feel paralyzed before they even begin. With so many choices, how do you know where to start to find the best meditation for you?

Why We Come to Meditation

At its heart, meditation isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about reconnecting with who you already are.

People often begin meditating because they’re experiencing something stirring inside, such as:

  • Stress, anxiety, or inner restlessness they can’t seem to shake, and it’s impacting their health.
  • A sense of being off-track or disconnected, even when life looks good on the outside.
  • Big questions that won’t go away: Who am I? What’s my purpose? Is this all there is?
  • A longing for something deeper in things like connection, compassion, meaning, and inner peace.

Meditation is one of the most powerful ways to begin working with what I’ve identified as 7 types of inner stress that impact our health, healing and authentic happiness.

Why a Core Meditation Practice Matters

With all the choices available, it’s tempting to jump around or treat meditation like a quick fix for a specific problem. But lasting transformation requires a core practice that provides a steady foundation and grounds you no matter what life throws your way.

Think of it like building a house. You don’t start with the roof; you start with the foundation. Without it, everything else feels shaky.

The same is true for meditation. If your nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight, you won’t get very far trying to reach higher states of consciousness. A core practice helps you regulate, calm, and center yourself so that deeper insights can naturally emerge.

This is why meditation is the foundation of my 4 Keys to Inner Peace framework — a science and soul roadmap that helps people move from stress and disconnection to authentic happiness.

The 4 Keys are:

Self-Regulation, Self-Love, Self-Discovery, and Self-Expression.

Each key opens the next. A core meditation practice activates the first key of self-regulation, creating the steady ground from which self-love, self-discovery and self-expression naturally unfold.

It’s not about striving for perfection. It’s about returning, again and again, to a practice that steadies your body, quiets your mind, and opens your heart.

What a Core Meditation Practice Builds in You

A core meditation practice grounded in self-regulation and training our minds to focus forms the basis for everything else.

Self-regulation cultivates the ability to regulate your nervous system and shift from stress and reactivity into rest-and-digest, making you more resilient, steady and able to focus on the present moment.

Research has found that your practice doesn’t need to be long to be effective and that brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.

When you commit to a short, regular practice, you’re not just meditating, you’re laying down the foundation for a life that feels grounded, clear, and alive.

The Importance of Personalizing Your Practice

Once you’ve established a solid foundation through a core meditation practice, your journey can become more personal and nuanced.

Emerging research confirms that personalizing your meditation practice — tailoring it to your unique personality and nervous system can deepen its effectiveness and sustainability.

This is where frameworks like the Enneagram become powerful companions. Understanding your personality patterns helps you choose practices that support your specific growth path.

For example, a Type 9 might need energizing practices to stay engaged, while a Type 3 may benefit from slowing down to reconnect with being rather than doing. You can read more about this in my introductory Enneagram blog. that describes 9 personality types and specific mindfulness practices for each type.

Meditation as a Path to Inner Peace

In the end, meditation isn’t about escaping your life. It’s about living more fully within it.

Through meditation, you begin to:

  • Calm your nervous system and feel less reactive.
  • Reconnect with your true self beneath all the roles and expectations.
  • Transform inner stress into resilience and personal growth.
  • Answer the soul’s quiet call for meaning and presence.

This is what forms the foundation for inner peace and a life rooted in clarity, connection, and inner fulfillment.

While meditation is a transformative practice, there are times when it might not be wise for it to be the first step on your path home to yourself. You can read more about what you can do if you’re struggling in meditation.

Your Next Step

If you’re ready for more personalized support, explore my Learn to Meditate private session available in-person in Calgary, Alberta or virtually, worldwide. It’s a clear, grounded way to establish a foundation that you can build on for life.

And if you’d like a simple starting point, download my free Meditation Essentials Guide. It includes a 5-minute guided meditation and clear steps to help you begin your practice with confidence.

Because when you commit to a core practice, you’re not just learning a technique. You’re opening the door to yourself and life with greater vitality, connection and purpose.