Meditation helps us focus on our entire being, our thoughts, emotions, health, mental well-being, relationships, intellect, behaviour, etc. It spans from being sensitive of our consciousness to our unconsciousness. You come in terms with yourself, your environment and relations to things or people around you when practice meditation.
We all meditate – consciously or unconsciously, what matters the most is what exactly we meditate on and how intentional we are about our meditation.
For a beginner, you are liable to either sleep, get bored or have your mind wander off. With consistent practice and determination, your level of concentration while meditating increases and you are able to control your thoughts rather than them overthrowing you. You’d also become able to meditate anyway, even in the midst of chaos.
So, how do you start this wonderful practice called Meditation? Get into comfortable position either by sitting or lying. Do this in a serene spot with your eyes closed to avoid distractions. Start with the simple practice of being aware of your breathing. Focus on how you slowly inhale and exhale breath noticing how your body calms and surrenders as your respiratory organs expand and deflate with each breathe. You can count your breathes if you are finding it difficult to concentrate.
Moving further, you become aware of your environment, from the loudest sound to the slightest. Be aware of the tiniest sensations on every inch of your skin, taste in your tongue, points of contact between your body and the surface you are staying on.
You can challenge yourself into speaking affirmations to yourself using reassuring and positive words. Remember, to meditate is to think, so it’s a time of self introspection, being completely honest and vulnerable with your own self. You will come to terms with your emotions (even surpressed ones), why you feel them and countering the source of those emotions. Your goal is to feel better, make the conscious efforts to liberate yourself and not escalating matters as many of us do mentally. In practicing meditation, you need to be still. You can meditate whenever, it is a mental activity.
Meditation improves your sleep, physical and mental health, emotional stability, attention span, reduces stress and anxiety, curbs depression, helps with self awareness, understanding your emotions helping you become a calmer and happier person.
So go back to your routine, squeeze in meditation starting from ten minutes and later on spanning even further to an hour. Do this and watch your life change.