Meditation. The word itself can create resistance in the mind. Perhaps the first thoughts that comes to mind is prolonged stillness or resembles a person with extreme wisdom. The truth of the matter is that all of us can begin meditating today, regardless of our ability.
Meditation, by definition, is the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed. Meditation can also be defined as serious thought or study, or the product of this activity.
The act of meditation does not necessarily require a trained mind or long periods of time. Meditation can happen anywhere at any time, for brief moments. Everyone can begin meditating by simply applying 4 key steps.
1. Make time
We are all busy. If you truly want to begin meditating, then all you need to do is find one or two minutes a day. Considering the fact that we may not think twice about watching a one-hour TV show, finding one minute in the day is more than reasonable.
The great aspect of meditating in between your day is that you can literally do it anywhere. All you need is your conscious mind and the capacity to turn off for a minute. This could be sitting at your desk during work, lying in your bed in the evening or standing on the train. One minute is all you need.
2. Focus on your breath
Once that minute has been allocated, use that time with purpose. You have made time for yourself so make it count. Close down the eyes and focus on the breath.
Many of us don’t breathe properly throughout the day. Not breathing properly consists of shallow breathing, using only the chest (even worse if performed with the mouth instead of the nose!). Breathing like this triggers a stress response in the body which has a number of damaging health effects.
Breathing properly requires deep controlled nasal breathing, using the diaphragm, sending air deep into the lungs so that the belly expands. During this minute, focus on this deepening of breath and appreciate the engagement of the relaxation response in the nervous system.
Photo by Author
3. Become the observer of your thoughts
For humans, perhaps now more than ever, sitting still in silence has never been more difficult. The introduction of smart phones and the internet has arguably turned us all into dopamine addicts. Sitting still, with no stimulation, can be incredibly difficult. Even for just one minute.
The stillness and focus on the breath may soon give way to urges: “I need to check my phone” or “I’m already bored, I have to do something else”. Rather than identifying with those thoughts, observe them as simply ideas that do not belong to you — like clouds floating by on a summer’s day.
Our brains will always chatter. In these still moments it is important to try and not identify with these thoughts. Observe them and let them go.
This may take a while to understand but if the concept is understood then over time, this will become attainable and a powerful tool to realise that our thoughts do not define us.
This can provide clarity in seemingly chaotic times.
4. Reflect
Once that minute is up, reflect on the meditation. How was my focus? How do I feel now compared to before the meditation? What could have been carried out differently? What went well and how did it improve my mental state?
By reflecting, the meditation and mindfulness practice can slowly be improved and adapted. Over time, this can be a wonderful tool to regain control of our consciousness when it is understandably put under stress.
So, that was 4 easy steps that all of us can begin to use today to start meditating.
Just one minute a day to start with could drastically improve your mental state. Who knows where the practice could take you!
Originally published at http://jakeyoga.blog on November 28, 2024.
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