Meditation
What do you think of when you hear the word MEDITATION?
There are many different forms and styles of meditation. Sitting cross-legged on a pillow, eyes closed, possibly chanting? A religious group engaged in deep and mindful concentration? Breath-work, walking in nature, yoga, art or music, etc.
If you are new to meditating, breath-work is a fantastic starting place! Breathing can be done each day for only a couple minutes at a time. The goal is to allow the mind to rest from thoughts. Practicing allowing thoughts to pass through, rather than tending to each one as it enters the mind. Learning to be more present is the goal of meditation.
When practicing your breathing meditation, find a comfortable seat and allow the spine to be tall. Concentrate on the breathing, both the inhale and exhale, bringing each to the same length. Breathe from the stomach, rather than the chest, and allow the belly to go soft, rising and falling with each breath. If a thought enters into your mind, acknowledge it, and let it go. Allow your mind to grow still.
It is difficult to find stillness and slow the mind to tap into your inner consciousness, however keep in mind there is no right or wrong way to meditate. It can be beneficial to begin your meditation first thing in the morning, before you’re distracted with the tasks of daily life. Eventually you can experiment with practicing at other times, such as at your desk before a long meeting, after a workout, at bedtime – really, whenever it is safe to close your eyes and allow your concentration to move inward.
Meditation works most effectively when practiced consistently. It is more effective to meditate for just five minutes a day, at the same time every day, than for 20 minutes once or twice a week.
Meditation will help to slow your mind from the fast-paced nature of today’s environment, allowing your intuition to show itself more strongly and aligning you more with your intentions.
Meditation can provide many benefits and improve health!
• Allergies
• Anxiety disorders
• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Chronic health issues
• High blood pressure
• Sleep problems
• Substance abuse
Schedule in time on your daily calendar for your 5 minutes of breath-work this week!
Happy Meditating!
