Want to be able to meditate, but you find it confronting AF?
Let me help you with that...
So you have heard about meditation and the positive effects it has on your life, you are curious about how one actually meditates without distraction and/or how one can create a consistent meditation practice long enough to really see and feel results?
So glad you are here, and I was right where you are 10 years ago! Curious, but thought 'look love the idea of it, but I am just not a meditator - I don't have the time, and I am just not designed to meditate'.
Have you said any of these things to yourself?
Yep - and I am here to tell you my friend if you say these things to yourself, chances are you are in some desperate need of meditation in your life!
The thing is, the whole sentence 'meditation practice' sounds a lot scarier than it actually is. By definition, meditation means: focus one's mind for a period of time. What we are focusing on, gets to be entirely up to us.
Tips to get you started:
1. Start Simple: Choose something to visually focus on that ignites warmth, calmness and contentment within. You may find this when looking at a landscape, a photo, or closing your eyes. Start by simply focusing on your breath. Notice it come in through your nose, and out of your nose. See if you can keep your awareness on your breath for a few minutes. If your mind starts to wander, do not judge, simply come back to your breath. You do not need to stop your thoughts from coming, you are simply choosing to focus on your breath. Coming in, and going out.
2. Word Layer: Adventuring on from the breathing you may like to explore mantra's or affirmations. An example of that is when you breathe in silently repeating "I am". When you breathe out, silently repeating "calm now".
3. Guided Meditation: Sometimes it is really enjoyable to be taken on a journey were you can kick your heels up, lean in, and absorb. Guided meditations offer you just that. Whether it be grounding, sleep, building confidence or releasing stress meditations - reach for what you need in the moment.
Meditation Benefits (there are like 5 billion but this is my own curated list of personal favs):
1. Promotes balanced emotional health
2. Enhances self awareness
3. Generates calm + kindness (towards yourself and others)
4. Improves sleep
5. Combats addiction
6. Increases longevity of memory and brain function
7. Allows you to observe your inner workings
8. Releases stress
9. Encourages self discipline
10. Creates new neural pathways in the brain, creating space for new habits
As well as alllll the tough lessons we are offered in life, our life is also designed for us to enjoy, and that is my favourite outcome of a meditation practice. It slows time, long enough for us to respond rather than react, to heal, to be intentional, and to savour sweet moments of joy.
I will of course take this opportunity to plug my own meditations offered on the SELF website. I am so proud of these meditation albums because they were curated slowly, mindfully and with a whole bunch of loving energy attached.
My hope is that when you press play on the SELF Meditations you feel completely held. To release, surrender and know you are safe exploring both your comfortable and uncomfortable findings. I am with you each step of the way.
Let's begin exploring - start here:
If you are unable to invest in these mediations right now, I encourage you to search through the free library of meditations offered on the SELF Podcast:
Tying up a loose end, i'll wrap this up by sharing how you can stay consistent in your meditation practice with this wonderful advice:
Be Consistent.
Just do it. When you want to practice, practice - when you don't want to practice, practice. (Wise words said by one of my yoga teachers, Troy Abraham).
Choose to feel better.
Be consistent.