What Is Meditation?

Meditation means to reflect, ponder, or contemplate. But these actions can look different from person to person, and as such, meditation is much more. Meditating at bedtime helps you quiet your chattering mind as you drift off to sleep.

Mindfullness meditation is the practice of acknowledging the conflicting thoughts in your brain and then choosing where you’d like to focus your thoughts. You can learn to observe the thoughts as they appear and take note of any patterns or sensations that come up in the body. 

The goal is not to empty your mind! It’s to understand and take control of how your thoughts contribute to the way you feel. This can help you live more consciously outside your practice, instilling mindfulness, alertness, and awareness. Many CEO’s of major companies swear by just 10 minutes twice a day to improve their performance!

With a long-winded history and a lengthy list of benefits, meditation can touch every facet of your life. I’m going to break down how meditation can impact your life and why it could be beneficial to your health to start implementing a short daily practice.

When it comes to cognitive benefits, meditation and breathing exercises can help sharpen your mind and strengthen your focus while conducting tasks. A study by Trinity College Dublin determined a link between meditative breathing and the natural chemical messenger in the brain called noradrenaline. This chemical acts as a “brain fertilizer" that is released when we are feeling challenged, curious, or focused.

 Ready to start reaping the benefits of meditation? Read on for our tips and recommendations for starting a meditation practice: 

1. Just go for it.

Your environment is never going to be “just right” for you to get started. There may always be noise coming from outside your window. You may never be able to set up that dreamy meditation studio in your home. That’s okay!

 Before you begin, choose a guide or teacher to direct you through your meditation practice. I suggest an online meditation app like Calm or Headspace or any teacher of your choice.  

Once you’ve found your guide, find a comfortable seat, perhaps on a sofa or in an arm chair, and commit to taking a couple of minutes out of your day to breathe. Whether you have your feet on the floor, are lying on your back, or are sitting cross-legged, you should make sure to keep a straight spine and sit in a spot that is clear of immediate physical distractions.

2. Practice Extended Focus

As you listen to your guide or meditate on your own, try to focus on your breath in order to keep from fidgeting or feeling anxious about the next step. Remember that your mind does not have an off switch. The challenge here is to accept the thoughts that are coming up, observe them for what they are, and return to your state of mindfulness.

3. Notice your breath and the sensations it causes in your body.

By allowing yourself to notice your breath, you gain a heightened awareness that contributes to both your physical and mental well-being. The key is to breathe naturally, observing your inhales and exhales as well as the sensations they cause in the body as the breath moves through your chest, rib cage, belly, and shoulders.

4. Don’t judge yourself

As you practice mindfulness and conscious breathing techniques, you may find yourself doubting the effectiveness of your practice. As you can tell from the abundance of techniques and teachings, there is no one “right” way to meditate. Just do what feels right for you. You really can’t go wrong.

5. Remember, you are not your thoughts

Our feelings of stress are temporary and situational, and incorporating a mindfulness meditation practice is meant to help you explore new techniques to accept, understand, and move through the feelings you are experiencing in a calmer, kinder way.

Personally I find 10 minutes twice a day works great for me. I do it upon walking before I even get out of bed and do it again once settled in bed just as I am getting ready to fall asleep. This way it’s easy to incorporate into my daily routine.

Try it for 30 days and let me know if you feel a difference! Leave a comment down below and let me know !

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