INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION

How do you start your day? Are you running around the house trying to find everything you need before you have to leave? Skipping breakfast so you won’t be late for work? Do you wish that you could start your day off a little bit more relaxed and calm? Have you considered meditating but just don’t know where to start? Are you worried you won’t have the patience to sit for 30 minutes? Worried you won’t be able to quiet your busy mind? Well here are a few helpful tips so that you can start meditating and start your day off feeling calm, relaxed and at peace.

I have been meditating for quite some time now and the benefits have been great . It was a little challenging at first when I started to do it because my thoughts were running wild. With practice and determination I have been able to sit quietly and reap the benefits of this lovely practice.

When I first started out I was trying to get every thought out of my head as it came to me which I learned was impossible because we cannot stop thoughts from flowing but rather we can learn how to control them. As new thoughts came, I acknowledged them and allowed them to pass. I did this by concentrating on my breathing. Whenever a thought would come up I acknowledged it but I did not follow it, instead I went back to concentrating on my breathing.

Here is a brief definition of what I believe meditation really is. Meditation is the act or process of spending time in quiet thought. What does that mean? It means doing something which helps you to quiet your mind and brings relaxation and ease to your body, mind and spirit. Your traditional meditation consists of finding a quiet place to sit, whether it be indoors or out with your legs crossed your eyes closed and being mindful as you inhale and exhale.

It is said the longer you sit the more you will benefit from the practice which is true but I have found that even 5-10 minutes a day is just as beneficial. When you start out you may find that every day is different, you may sit for 20 minutes one day and 5 minutes the next day and that is fine. The best thing to remember is not to get frustrated or upset just go with the flow and allow yourself to sit for as long as you see fit for that day.

Remember just like anything else it takes time to get into a routine of something new but just persist with it and remember practice makes perfect and before you know it you will be sitting for 30 minutes or even longer with such ease.

You can also have soft music playing in the background or even set up some candles . Everyone does it differently it’s just up to you to find what works best for you. If you find that this just isn’t your cup of tea then maybe things such as going for a walk in nature, exercising, going for a swim, yoga or even going for a paddle along the water might work better for you. I believe we can look at these as a type of “ meditation” as well.

Essentially we are still relaxing the mind and the body. It’s all about finding what works best you, you may end up trying a few different ones until the right one sticks. Just don’t give up and be patient with yourself. It takes a lot of practice but when you look back and see how far you’ve come you’ll feel so proud. Happy meditation.

Love and Light.