Don’t Hate; Meditate

If there is one practice that is best in order to help in the journey of self-discovery, meditation is it. While many think of this as more of a chore, there are those that have found this as one of the most important parts of their routine. These are the people who have found the true secret to feeling a sense of calm and understanding. If you can bring meditation into your life, you’ll find that the benefits will outweigh any inconvenience you have with doing so. One more added benefit, however, is that it will actually become something to look forward to once you get in the swing of things.

Meditation Opens the Mind

Meditation has grown popular in the self-care techniques that are spreading among social media. You may notice the meditation groups and classes popping up all over and if you have not tried it, this is one of the trends you should pick up and keep in your daily life. From breathwork, intention, and mindfulness, meditation helps the person work through the obstacles of both the mind, body, and spirit. Funny thing is, however, that meditation isn’t new, and it won’t disappear when the next fad pops up.

Meditation offers us the necessity of relaxation, something that is very hard to find in the world we live in.

Everyday stress and tension can harm us mentally and physically. Meditation will help us ground ourselves when the stress and anxiety pop up, training us to become able to stay in the present rather than being anxious of the “what-ifs”. Regular practice helps to retrain your brain to handle the anxiety and negative thoughts. It won’t get rid of them, but it helps us become aware of them and let go of some of the triggers that cause panic and overwhelm. It also lets us witness our thoughts and feelings rather than become victims to them. 

What happens when you start to become aware of what is going on in your mind? Our thoughts lead us to overthinking and going round and round in our head. When our mind becomes quiet, however, the real magic happens. We start to notice thought patterns and how our mind works. When we stop and listen, we don’t focus on trying to explain everything and we become more aware of the messages we would likely have missed.

When I first started meditating, it was uncomfortable. At first, I thought I was doing it wrong because I couldn’t quiet the mind. I had to learn more about it to really start to understand that it is less about quieting the mind and more about finding compassion within. This is the lesson that meditation has been teaching for thousands of years. Nearly every culture has seen some form of it and it has always helped those seek some sort of awareness, whether of self or the divine. From yogis in the east to native Americans in the west, the practice of meditation can be seen as bringing a person into a space of compassion. Here I was complaining because I couldn’t figure it out.

I had to learn in what felt like weeks of practice that I had been doing it correct. I had been practicing more of a mindfulness meditation, and for some reason I had it in my mind that I was supposed to be off in another world having an amazing visual journey. Truth is, mindfulness is about being present and aware of what is going on in real time. Over time, I felt a difference. Others saw a difference. All because I took a moment every day to just breathe. 

So my practice for you is simple. Let’s start somewhere, and that means just for a few moments a day. I’m not going to tell you that you should meditate for a long period of time. Just go at your own pace. If that means starting out a couple minutes, that’s okay. All you have to do is stop, follow your breath, and notice what you sense. Sure, your grocery list may invade your present awareness, but when you notice that, just refocus back to your breath.

Meditate

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