Meditation can be defined as a set of techniques that are intended to encourage a heightened state of awareness and focused attention. It’s about training in awareness and getting a healthy sense of perspective. In meditation, we will learn how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and we will not try to turn off our thoughts or feelings. When we pay attention to our breath, we are learning how to breathe in, and out in order to fix our problems and find our purpose in life.
How to meditate?
Read these 6 tips, make sure you are somewhere where you can relax into this process, set a timer, and give it a shot:
- Emotions: A lot of emotions will come up when you first start meditating. Make sure you can control your emotions.
- Breath: Don’t try to “calm your mind.” If your mind starts wandering, recognize it and return to appreciating the sensations of your breath.
- Eyes: If you want the experience to be more body-based, close your eyes. If you want to feel more secure in your space, keep your eyes open.
- Arms: Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed, letting your hands rest on your thighs.
- Legs/Feet: Sitting cross-legged on a cushion. If you’re sitting in a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor and spine straights.
- Time: You should try and sit regularly five or ten minutes a day is a great start.
Why learn to meditate?
Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both on your emotional well-being and your overall health. Here are three advantages of meditation:
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Reduce Stress: Meditations give you the tools to take a step back, breathing and return to a more relaxed state of mind. You may notice your heart racing or a sense of anger that makes you want to be explosive, hence, your need to fight your way out by meditation.
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Regulates Mood: Meditations influence your physical state to be more relaxed and helps you respond more appropriately to your external world. You will have a new understanding and sense of self, where you will find yourself better and possibly having more energy since your stress levels are reduced.
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Helps You Stay Focused: Another benefit of meditation is that your sense of focus will be enhanced. If your attention span is short, studies have shown that even a few minutes of meditation can vastly improve your ability to focus