You know that thing that happens where you have an inkling that you need to bring something into your life because the universe starts beating it into your head by having it show up everywhere? That's what happened to me with meditation. It seemed that every book I read or podcast that I listened to had some happy, successful person that I admired touting how meditation changed their lives. I knew that it was something that I had to try.
I was one of those people that didn't have time to meditate. I was making excuses as I was more afraid to try it than anything else. I thought that meditation was for the people that were more than knee deep into spiritually, the people that walked really slowly, the people that seemed to be so at peace, the people that wore prayer beads, you know the people that I mean... the people that never seem to be in a rush, the peaceful people. This was so not me... BUT I decided to try it anyhow. I Googled how you should sit, what you should think, you name it, I had to research every aspect of meditating which was controlling the process so much so that it became exactly the opposite of what it should be.
So I started out with a few guided meditations. Since I was listening to someone tell me what to focus on I didn't have to be completely alone with my own crazy busy mind. I am happy to report that I've graduated to the point where I actually like being alone with my own mind more than listening to guided meditations. I find that I can make each meditation exactly what I need it to be. If I'm feeling the controlling Tania creeping in, I choose a mantra about letting go, if I'm feeling anxious then I'll choose a mantra about slowing down and following my breath, you get the picture.
So what have I found the benefits of meditation to be for me? Here's a list that although not exhaustive will give you an idea of why I will always keep meditation as an important part of my day.
Meditation allows me to:
* relax my mind (it's not as crazy a place as it used to be!)
* clear my mind to allow for creative space, I come up with ideas and inspiration
* be a more relaxed, positive person
* stop rushing
* be more present
* make decisions
* be more patient
* see things more clearly (uncluttered)
* visualize the things that I want to accomplish
* focus on what is important
* enjoy the journey
Knowing that stress and inflammation are the root cause of many diseases and that meditation is so good at relieving stress and at teaching us to slow down, the health benefits are becoming more and more commonly known and accepted.
Here are my top tips for how to start your meditation practice:
1) Let go of any preconceived notions -- Let go of everything that you think that meditation should be and make it your own. Don't worry about how to sit or what to think, just be comfortable.
2) Don't judge! Acknowledge the thoughts that come into your mind, don't judge them. We all have thoughts come into our minds, both positive and negative. If a thought comes into your mind, acknowledge it and let it float away. Some ideas on how to let go of your thoughts are; imagine your thought in a cloud, see it float in and then drift away into the sky. Maybe you see your thought as a leaf and you witness it drop into a stream and float away.
3) Focus on your breath -- If your mind is circling like crazy then focus on your inhales and exhales, making them slow and deep.
4) Find your mantra -- I find that if I repeat a mantra that addresses something that has come up for me that I need to settle, having a mantra can help me to get past what is troubling me and allow me to focus. Some examples that I use are: let it go, slow down, just breath, I am enough, etc.
5) Don't time it -- Sometimes I'm just finally finding a clearing in my mind when a timer goes off which is completely annoying. If you can, find a time to meditate where you aren't in a hurry. If you are pressed for time, even a few minutes is better than nothing and there are lots of meditation apps that will play music and will allow you to choose your time and will play a chime at the end. Hang out as long as you can, until you feel that your mind has cleared and that you've become peaceful.
6) Make it routine -- Like anything if you schedule it in and make it part of your routine, it's more likely to actually happen.
I have found that my best sleep comes post meditation, sometimes I even fall asleep during!
I hope that these tips help you to bring meditation and it's benefits into your own life if you haven't already. If meditation is already a staple in your life, I'd love to hear what works for you and why you love it!