Meditation
is something I never thought I would do, until last year. For about a year and
a half I've been struggling with very, very strong anxiety. This disrupted my
life in many ways (And somehow it still does). A few months ago I decided to
try meditation as a last resort before going to a psychiatrist. Since I know
virtually no one who meditates, I did some online research and decided to go ahead
and look for a YouTube video of a guided meditation. At first I was reluctant,
it didn’t seem like a big deal, but I still gave it my best. I tried doing ten
minutes, and I’ll admit, it was a bit too much for me. I wasn’t accustomed to
being still and alone with my thoughts. I thought about everything I had to do
after meditating, I thought about what I did that day, about what I would have
for dinner and so on. When I was a kid, I was in yoga lessons and the
instructor had taught my mom, my sisters and I some breathing exercises, so I
tried to do them until the ten minutes passed. When I started doing this I lost
track of time and before I knew it, I was done. I kept doing it for the next
few weeks, and I felt amazing. My anxiety had toned down, I was calmer and a
lot more focused. I kept at it until the week before my older sister got
married. It was an extremely stressful week and even though I probably really
needed it, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. After that, I probably just did it
once a week.
About
a month and a half ago, I decided I would go back to meditating, seeing as it
had really helped me when I did it constantly. I must admit, I haven’t done it
every single day, but at least I’m trying. Whenever I’m going to start I think “I
don’t have time for this, I could be doing something more useful” but then I
remember that 10 minutes out of a whole day is pretty much nothing! And the
best thing I could do with that time is giving myself some love. So when in
doubt, meditate!
How
to meditate
If
you’re going to give meditation a shot (Kudos to you my friend!) these are the
steps you have to follow for an amazing meditation session:
1.
Choose a place:
Meditation requires you to just focus on the present moment, so you need to be
in a quiet place where you know no one is going to bother you for a specific
period of time. Since I live with four other people, two dogs and a cat,
finding a quiet place is challenging; therefore when I meditate I try to do it
early in the morning when everyone is still asleep and in the privacy of my own
room.
2.
Time your meditation: You
can begin your first meditation session at 5 minutes. With time and experience,
you can meditate for longer, be it 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 or even an hour!
3.
Find a comfortable
position: For meditation, you can sit in a cross legged position on a pillow,
rug or blanket or on a chair with your feet against the floor. You have to be
comfortable. If you don’t feel good in a sitting position, you can lie down (But
try to not fall asleep).
4.
Mind your posture: When
meditating, sit up straight and keep your hands in a comfortable position (I
just put them on my knees). It’s very important that your back is straight and
your shoulders relaxed.
5.
Deep breaths: Personally,
I think the deep breathing is one of the most important parts of meditation as
it helps calm you down. Take deep breaths and try to do it in a rhythmic manner
(Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds), this will help you keep your
focus.
6.
Pay attention to your
breath: Notice which part of your body is more affected by the way you breathe,
be it your diaphragm, your nostrils, your chest; and keep your focus on that
specific part of your body.
7.
Keep your attention on
your breath: During your meditation, your mind will wander. It is impossible to
stop thinking and this will unavoidably happen, so don’t feel bad if you find
yourself thinking about responsibilities or something else. I read once that
the mind is like a caged monkey, so it is always going to be difficult to make
it slow down for a moment. Just remember that whenever you notice this is
happening, you have to try to focus on your breath.
8.
Let go and focus: Try to
let go of anything that is bothering you. Focus on the moment you are living
right now. I usually can’t keep myself from thinking about what is going to
happen in the future, how things can go wrong and so on. Whenever I meditate I
focus on myself, my body, the present moment. This makes me feel all of my
worries drift somewhere else and I am only left with the things I can control.
9.
Congratulate yourself:
When you’re done, give yourself some love. Do you know how hard it is to stay
still? To not think about things that stress us out? It is super hard! So give
yourself a hug, you’re awesome!
So,
if you’re new to meditation or are just curious, I’ll leave a some very
informative links below so you can check them out and learn a bit more about
meditation, how to get started, health benefits and much more.
Links and Information.
Chopra Centered Lifestyle. Guided meditations: These guided meditations are amazing and they are very specific. You can choose a meditation for healing, for sleep, to awaken your creativity and much more! To check them out click here.
Live and Dare. Scientific benefits of meditation: This article by Live and Dare points out 76 benefits meditation can give you. Check it out by clicking here.
Headspace. The science behind meditation: Simple meditation benefits explained with cute infographics. Check it out here.
Calm. Meditation app for Android and Iphones: This is my personal lifesaver. I love this app. It has a timer, a calendar for you to tracks your meditation breaks, different ambient sounds and amazing scenes (My favorites are Celestial Sunbeams, Suspended Droplets and Rain on Leaves). You have to check it out! The best part, it's also a webpage! You can check their page by clicking here and take your first meditation break.
Thank you very much for reading. This is a subject I definitely feel very passionate about. Please leave your comments, questions and advice on the little comment box below. Stay awesome!
- 11:17 AM
- 0 Comments
