Meditation For Beginners
Find peace in your mind, body, and soul. Meditation use to be thought of as a practice that only Buddhists or “soulful” and “spiritual” people would indulge in. It has certainly come a long way. If you think that those who practice meditation are few and far between, think again. There’s somewhere between 200 and 500 million people around the world who meditate. Are you one of them? If not, you might be missing out on the tons of benefits that come with the practice.
There’s a long list of reasons why one might consider meditation. It helps reduce stress and control anxiety. After meditation, you might find that you have a longer attention span. It even helps with emotional health. These are just a few of the benefits, and they seem worth it, don’t they? If you’re a beginner to meditation, you might not know where to start. Here’s a hint. Start here.
Comfortability is Key
The first step to meditation is making sure that you’re comfortable. You can essentially choose any position you want. While some might choose to lie down, if you’re a beginner, it’s very easy for a meditation session to turn into a nap session. Try sitting up in a chair. This should keep you awake and help you focus on the actual meditation.
Start Small
You might be surprised to know that some seasoned meditators are able to do it for hours at a time. If you’re a beginner, you’ll find that it’s very hard to stay concentrated for that long. Even 10 minutes might be pushing it. Instead, start small – and we’re not talking half hour sessions. Start with two minutes. The more time you spend meditating, the more you’ll be able to spend extended periods of time relaxing your mind.
Close Your Eyes
If you’re new to meditation, start with your eyes closed. You’ll want to do this because it’s easy for your eyes to grab onto something and cause you to lose focus. By closing your eyes, you’re blocking out any extra sensory information that you can easily get carried away with. Alternatively, if you’re tired, closing your eyes might not be such a great idea. While meditation is definitely something to do while you’re awake and alert, if you’re exhausted, keep your eyes open for your session.
Focus on Your Breathing and Body Movements
Now that you’ve found a comfortable position and decided how long you’ll meditate for, it’s time to start! It’s simpler than you’d think. All you need to do is focus on your breathing. This doesn’t mean to count your breaths. Just keep your focus on inhaling and exhaling. Focus on how your body moves with every breath you take. Do this for your allotted time and you’re done!
Use an App
Believe it or not, there are dozens and dozens of apps that can help you meditate. Apps like Headspace offer hundreds of different meditation sessions based on what you might be looking for. If you feel your mind wandering, they have quick sessions to help combat that. If you need an emergency session for an unexpected bout of panic, they’ve got those too.
For those trying to find time to meditate during a busy schedule, you might be better suited for something like Buddhify. The app gives you options based on what’s going on at that moment. Are you taking a break from work? Are you traveling? Can’t fall asleep? The app has meditation sessions for all these moments to help clear and ease your mind.
Meditation is in, and it’s about time that you jumped on the wagon. While it certainly is one of those things that “seem cool,” you can’t refute the numerous benefits the practice has. And it’s easy. All you need is two minutes and a bit of focus, and you’ll be well on your way to an anxiety- and stress-free way of living.