How to nail your daily meditation
I believe the easiest way to bring your mind and body to a relaxed state where we can start to see beyond the problem in the very moment is a regular meditation practice, one you can incorporate into your everyday life. And this doesn’t even require a yoga studio!
For example, when I used to get stressed at work, I would retreat to a quiet corner, put on my headphones and take 15 to 20 deep steady breaths from the very bottom of my lungs. I would focus on my own breath so that I’d become completely present and free myself from any restraining and negative thoughts. This should normally take less than 5 minutes and turn your pace and mindset 180 degrees.
Here are some tips how you can start integrating a calming and regenerative practice of meditation into your life easily:
1. Start small – just 5 minutes a day to begin with.
Then you can increase as you feel your attention remains in the present moment more easily for a longer period of time.
2. Begin by observing what comes up and noting it in a journal.
No judgement, just taking notice and observing changes that occur over time. One of the big issues that occur in our human lives is that we attach a feeling or an outcome to any emotion that comes up. Just consider any thought or idea as it is without making it anything different. For example, if you notice that your breath is heavy, notice how this heaviness feels, rather than feeling bad for breathing heavily or changing your breath right away. Only when we become aware of what is, we can eventually be more present and worry less.
3. Give yourself time and be patient.
Meditation is one of the hardest things to learn and master and to feel the real benefits will take some practice. It is a lifelong process to learn and you’re likely to never feel like you’ve mastered it ever. So be kind and gentle with yourself. It’s too easy to get lost in that monkey mind of ours that jumps from one idea or thought to the next in seconds.
4. Create space for meditating, especially in the beginning.
Take external distractions away, turn on soft music, light a candle and some incense to create a sacred space for your mind. Best to be outside in a park, or by the beach. Obviously your studio works as well. Just give yourself space from your colleagues, family or your mobile phone to make time for you.
5. Learn to sit still and you’re halfway there.
For most of us that is a huge challenge in itself, to resist the urge to fidget, move, stretch etc. Think about each movement before your brain triggers your muscles and see if you can do without it. It’s interesting how many physical movements happen automatically/subconsciously and could be omitted very easily by focussing and bringing awareness to the moment.
At the end of the day, meditation is all about awareness. It’s living in the moment and honouring the present, ourselves and our surrounds. This has become extremely difficult in our current state with our mobile phones taking us to the complete opposite end of the scale, to always be in another dimension. But luckily we can also use technology to remind us to bring us back to life, as it happens right now, outside the frame.
Namaste!
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