We know that adding one more thing to your plate right now sounds nearly impossible (believe me I am the queen of jamming my days full of one thing after another) but that’s why this is a great challenge!! It forces us to take a minute (or ten) and turn our focus inward.
First, we have to learn HOW to meditate.
Proper meditation position is sitting upright with a straight spine, hands resting in the lap, with the eyes closed. If sitting upright is uncomfortable, try laying down flat on the back.
The overall goal of meditation is to simply be still and turn off the mind. If any of you have meditated before you know this can be a difficult task. This can be achieved in a number of different ways, whether that’s focusing on breathing, chanting, following a guided meditation, etc.
In preparing for this challenge, I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to prevent my mind from wandering for the full ten minutes. Then I realized that was ridiculous, of course, my mind would wander — and it does a lot, but the key is to recognize when it’s happening, acknowledge the invading thought, and redirect the mind back to the point of focus. Be in the moment…that’s meditation.
Once we have learned the process of meditation we can build a consistent practice into our daily lives. Studies have shown practicing something or performing an act consistently for thirty days is key to creating a new habit.
The act of meditation can be very rewarding and restorative.
Meditation has many benefits:
- Medication offers the mind and body a break from the physical and mental strain life can inflict and can help restore our inner peace and balance.
- Meditation helps offer those who practice it regularly a better overall mental focus. A fatigued mind can’t focus as well as one that is rested and restored.
- Meditation offers us time to focus on our body, scanning and analyzing it while quietly sitting in a comfortable resting position. When we become physically and mentally calm, your body will communicate its needs more clearly. We can then bring needed attention to those areas that are “talking to us” (ie. acute and chronic injuries, areas of tension and tightness, gut instincts).
- Day to day stressors are inevitable and can cause us to feel fatigued, lethargic, unhappy, and more stressed out. Allowing for a “pause” through meditation helps clear the mind, which can combat negative symptoms and promote positivity.
- Meditation, when done properly, allows us to control our minds and halt racing, fatiguing thoughts. When we have better control over our minds we are then able to control our reactions and responses to stressors that will inevitably enter our lives.
Now, go enjoy some delicious “me” time and meditate!