One of the most common reasons that people pass trying a meditation session is because they simply believe that they won’t be able to manage it. If you’re one of these people who think that meditation is all about clearing your mind so you can reach a higher state of consciousness, I’m here to tell you otherwise.
Mediation is all about getting your mind into the present moment. Think about everything that you’ve thought about today. Are you worried about an upcoming bill? Are you thinking that you’re going to be late for work? Maybe your planning what you’re going to have for dinner tonight? Maybe you’re dreaming about going on holiday?
For most of us, these are all very common thoughts, some of which we think about every day, sometimes every hour. However, whether you’re thinking about something that’s happened or something that’s going to happen, you’re constantly thinking about the past and the future.
What about this moment?
What about right now? How about this exact moment when you’re reading this sentence? How about right this very second? Are you aware of it? Well, it’s gone, and now you’re in this moment.
For some people, this can be a very scary train of thought, one that provokes feelings of time just passing us by. This is something we all do. In fact, it’s been hard-wired into our brains since birth.
But, don’t be scared of this concept.
Embrace it
Meditation is all about training our brains to become aware of this current moment so we can make the best decisions for the now, rather than worrying about a situation that might never exist.
Getting Started
To get you going, here’s a ten-minute meditation you can practice anytime, anywhere and whenever feels good for you, and you’ll be able to start feeling these benefits instantly.
- Find yourself a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. Alternatively, if you can’t find a space, for example, you’re on a train, go on YouTube or Spotify and type in ‘meditation music’ and put something calm and relaxing on through headphones.
- Make sure you’re comfortable. If you’re in a quiet space, you can lay on your back, sit in your chair or sit cross-leg on the floor, whatever feels best for you.
- Close your eyes slowly and take three really deep breaths. In through your nose and out through your mouth. Fill all your lungs up with air as much as you can and sigh when you breathe out, pushing out every single last bit of air that you have.
- After these three deep breaths, return to normal breathing. Breathe in and out through your nose and focus your attention on where you can feel the air most clearly in or around your nose
- Notice how the air feels cold coming into your body and warm on the way out.
- Really try to keep your attention on your breathing.
- If any thoughts pop into your head, or you find yoruself lost in a train of thought, simply recognise that it happens, after all, it’s completely normal and then return to your breathing again.
- After ten minutes, slowly open your eyes and appreciate everything around you. What colours can you see? What sounds can you hear? Can you smell any smells? View everything around you and inside you as a miracle.
Final Thoughts
And that’s it! This is a complete meditation session, and that’s all there is to it! How do you feel? Do you feel relaxed? Perhaps you feel calm? Feeling reduced amounts of stress? Do you feel present? Let us know in the comment section below!
