I thought it might good to give a few meditation tips for those who are just starting out and for those who are struggling with their meditation practice. Everyone knows that meditation is great for the mind, body, and soul and it is a fantastic way to connect with your higher self. That being said, it is not as easy as sitting on the floor and closing your eyes. In our busy lives, it is very difficult to turn our brains off even for a few minutes and grant ourselves permission to be idle for that time. I assure you that you waste far more time during the day and that 5-10 minutes of meditation will make little difference in your productiveness. Actually doing meditation can help your concentration help reduce stress, slow aging, and do I really need to list more? It is truly worth it. So take a little "me" time and let's do this!
Create a mini ritual:
Try to practice around the same time every day. I don't mean like setting an alarm unless that totally works for you, I mean, for example, after yoga practice, or when the baby falls asleep at night, or when you get home from work.Set up your own little sanctuary. It can be as simple as a few pillows in a corner of your bedroom with a little table and a candle and speaker for music and ambiance. Be sure it is clean and clutter-free, and that you feel safe and at peace there.Before you sit down, follow the same movements mindfully, for example, shut your door, turn off the ringer on your phone, set a nice gentle alarm, light the candle, turn on the music, fluff the pillows and then sit down. Making the same body movements will set the pathways in your brain and tell it that you are preparing for meditation. that way over time, that preparation alone will begin to prepare your mind for stillness.
Set a time limit:
When you're first starting out, set a very short time frame. 2 minutes is a good length to start with. (You think it's too short of a time only because you haven't tried it yet.) After you have mastered that, add a minute to it, and again after you've mastered that. You may be eventually shooting for 10 minutes or even 30, but for now, keep it simple. It's about progress, not perfection and even if you only get through a 1 minute, it's still a win.
Focus on your breath:
once you are comfortably seated, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Start by taking three deep breaths, each one slower than the last and breathing into your stomach.Continue by breathing normal, still breathing into your stomach and continuing to focus on your breath. If it helps to focus, you can inhale through the nose for 3 seconds or heartbeats, hold for 2, exhale through the mouth for 4, hold for 2, repeat.
Accept interruptive thoughts:
Everyone has stray thoughts that enter your mind and some days it will be harder to quiet the mind than others. When you have found your mind has wandered off, gently rein it back in, acknowledge the thought and file it away for later then bring your focus back to your breathing.If you are finding it particularly hard to focus, try 3 deep breaths, or doing a hum, or Om on your exhale.
Ending your meditation:
It is a wonderful thing to meditate and it is best to give yourself a few minutes of adjustment time at the end of your meditation to absorb the experience and gently acclimate yourself to the world around you.When you end your meditation, don't rush to open your eyes, just gently and slowly move your fingers and then your arms and maybe stretch a little before opening your eyes. Then still take a few moments to enjoy.
Be consistent:
Give yourself this time every day. It should not be hard to find 10 - 15 minutes each day. You could even do it as a before bed or waking up ritual. I hope you find joy and peace in your meditation practice. You really can do meditation anywhere, but this is the best way to train your brain to start. I love going into the woods and meditating during the warm weather, or beside the ocean on a warm summer night. I also enjoy doing guided meditations. Guided meditation is when you listen to someone walk you through a visualization instead of just focusing on your breath. I enjoy these for when you are starting out doing chakra balancing especially. I use them when I am having a particularly hard time focusing while doing a chakra meditation. Happy meditating all, Namaste! **I was really on the fence about adding information about hypnosis here since it is so closely related to guided visualizations. Here is my opinion on that. Hypnosis is an amazing tool and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone I come in contact with. Yes, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, however, if you are looking to accomplish something specific with it, such as weight loss or to stop smoking, I suggest going to a hypnotherapist. The reason being that they are constantly monitoring your breathing, body movements and so forth to ensure that you are in the right state before they offer up suggestions. They are trained for this. They can adjust their voice tone, tempo, and volume to you specifically if you are there in person. You will get a far better result than a generic recorded message. If you would like any more information, just shoot me a note.