People often say they have a hard time meditating because of all the interrupted thoughts going through their minds. Soon into the meditation, one will begin criticizing themselves for not being able to accomplish the simple task of clearing the mind. Shortly after, agitation sets in because they cannot reach the state of relaxation. At this point, you may have more frustration than you did before you sat down to meditate. Does this sound all too familiar? The sense of agitation arises from the noise in the mind. Suddenly, you realize the excessive chatter that develops in the mind on a daily basis. Meditation is highly effective in quieting the mind…… And you are probably thinking; how can I even attempt to meditate after experiencing those negative emotions?
Meditation is much like beginning an exercise program, it takes time and patience. You have to start gradually and work your way up in frequency and duration. Don’t get discouraged, it takes practice to reach a state of relaxation and peacefulness. With practice, you will persevere experiencing a peaceful mind.
Getting Started with Meditation
- Find a quiet space where you will not be bothered or distracted
- Set a timer for 2-5 minutes
- You may want to put some relaxing music on like nature sounds, gong/ singing bowls, or perhaps a mantra
- Sit in a comfortable position
- Take a couple deep breaths, inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth to get centered
- Start the timer, music, or guided meditation
- Close your eyes, focus on the breath, inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth
- Start with 3X per week, and gradually work up to daily meditation at 5 minutes per session
- Once you develop the habit, you can increase the time gradually up to 15-20 min
**You can find nature sounds and singing bowl music that will last an hour on YouTube
***You can also use an App like Pandora to listen to nature sounds, or download a meditation App.
***Deepak Chopra has many guided meditations called 21 day meditations that may be helpful in developing a meditation habit
Begin with small segments of time, 2-5 minutes. Set a timer, listen to relaxing music while focusing on the breath, or recite a mantra. Increase your time meditating gradually, so you are likely to stick with it. Once you are able to practice more of it, you will reap the benefits in having a healthy body, mind and spirit.