I had dinner with a friend the other night and over the course of catching up, she smiled and said, “You’ll be happy to know that I’ve started mediating and I’m really loving it!” And, she was right, it did make me happy to hear it. Meditation has become an important ritual to me – a chance to get centered before the bluster of the day threatens to take over. Often when I share with others that I meditate, I often get a reaction along the lines of “Oh that’s great, but I could never do that” or “I tried meditating once and just couldn’t sit still for THAT long!”
Now before you dismiss meditation as a little too new-agey for you, consider some of these benefits, so well summoned up in this infographic:
OK – so now that I’ve got your attention, here are my tips for getting started:
Start small — Start with 5 minutes and build up to 10 minutes, but don’t push it.
Location matters – Pick a spot in your house, garden/yard, wherever you feel a sense of peace. Find a quiet spot, a place that will help you to feel calmer and not distracted.
Breathe — While some people like mantras, I found that when I first started meditating that trying to remember the mantra was distracting and stressful. I think it’s easier to just focus on your breath – just breathe naturally, focusing on the natural in and out rhythm.
Thoughts happen — If you try to “clear your mind,” you will make yourself crazy! Thoughts are going to come – notice them but then bring your attention back to your breath. I will admit this one will take a bit to get the hang of, but it will get easier with practice.
Be consistent — Do your best to carve out some time every day. Consider this time a little gift to yourself and enjoy it.
Do you meditate? What tips would you add?
Infographic courtesy of Emma Seppala, PhD.
I would say start with moving meditation!
baby steps.
take anything repetitive (dish washing for example :-)) and make it meditation.
CARLA recently posted…4 lessons weight training taught me about life.
Good suggestion Carla – you can get definitely quite your mind in the rhythm of the movement.
I love that you enjoy meditation! I’m with Carla in that I started with moving meditation but now I cherish that quiet time first thing in the am. My meditation is probably pretty poor still, but it’s all relative, right?
Marcia recently posted…Eating Smart is Easy with Orange Chef Countertop
Absolutely it’s all relative – as long as it works for you is all that matters.
I really believe in all that meditation has to offer–you didn’t even have to sell me. But what I have yet to do is make the time for it. I really, really should!
misszippy recently posted…What I’m doing over summer break…
Just start with 5 minutes and see what happens! 🙂
I’ve never really tried it! I don’t know if I can handle all those crazy thoughts in there! LOL I could probably really benefit from it. Nice post!
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner recently posted…Why I Coach Girls On The Run
I would definitely encourage you to give it a try – what have you got to lose 😉
My dad has been trying to get me to meditate since I was a kid. I’ve always been a high stress person. I’ve never been able to relax enough, but since starting yoga I have gotten better at it….so…maybe I’ll get to the point where I can meditate someday!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes recently posted…4 Ways to Protect Your Family from the Sun this Summer: Melanoma Awareness and a discount!!
I just got my oldest son to start meditating a couple of months ago and he’s really enjoying it. I wish I had tried this as a kid. Yoga is a great way to introduce meditation!
Sitting still isn’t something I’m good at! I do ease into my day walking my dog. …
Coco recently posted…How Do You Show Appreciation?
A form of moving meditation definitely works better for some.
I am not good with just sitting still and meditating, but I think I love coloring so much lately because it is kind of my mediation time.
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted…My Memorial Day Weekend
I have so much going in my life on a daily basis, I could really take some time to meditate. Great info – thanks for sharing!
Natalie recently posted…Weekend Recap – Memorial Day edition!
Your artistic talents are awe-inspiring! The way you bring ideas to life through your creations is nothing short of magical. Thank you for sharing your art with the world.
how legal is delta 8