I am not a certified meditation teacher. These tips are helpful for my personal mediation practice and have helped me get started.
Hi guys! I can't believe it is August already - where is summer going? To be honest, I won't be too horribly sad, seeing how hot and humid it has been this year. Or maybe the winters are so long I forget just HOW hot it gets in NYC. Maybe we could all use some meditation to get through it :)
If you guys have been following me for a while now, you know how much I love meditation and how important my practice has become. It is part of my wellness ritual that you can read more about here! Whether you are simply curious, have tried it out before or trying to become more consistent in your own practice, I wanted to share helpful tips that have helped me ease into meditation.
Before I moved to NYC almost 4 years ago this month(!), I was dedicated to meditating almost every day for several months. I had my quick 20-minute yoga sequence and then sat on my mat to meditate for only a few minutes in the morning. I want to reiterate: a few minutes. I don't believe you need to meditate for an hour or longer to reap the benefits. The practice and routine are what make it worthwhile. Although I do know from personal experience that the more consistent you are, the more willingness there will be to sit longer and feel more comfortable doing it. You will know why.
Meditation
Sometimes life gets in the way and we minimize the space for such habits/routines, and that is ok. I think remembering the why is super important. Why did you start in the first place? How did it make you feel? Are you benefitting from it? I know when I go through periods of time without meditating, I feel imbalanced. If you have those positive habits that help, stick to them.
Again, I am no meditation professional. There are so many unique ways to ease into it and everyone is different.
3 Helpful Ways to Start Meditation
Find a comfortable space - Ideally you want to meditate in a quiet, peaceful place. There will be many distractions in the form of "thoughts" that run through your brain so the less environmental distractions to deal with, the better. You don't have to sit in a formal meditation space or center. I do both at home and in a guided class. Both beneficial.
Focus on your breath - Let's be honest, you might dwell on certain thoughts or get lost in your to-do list, thinking about everything possible other than meditating. Try to return your focus on your breath, breathing in and out. Sometimes what helps me is to literally tell myself (in my head) to breathe in and out, while doing it.
Set your own time - Let go of the pressure to sit for a given amount of time. It can be intimidating or uncomfortable to feel forced to sit in complete silence. When I first started, I didn't even set a time or look at my clock, I simply just sat for as long as I could.
I didn't start going to guided meditation classes until I moved to NYC. A previous yoga teacher (when I first started) would lead a short mediation at the end of class, so that is how I was first introduced. Isn't it funny to look back and notice how certain habits were influenced by someone or something? I am forever grateful for her and that class!
I would love to hear if you have tried traditional meditation or not. What do you think?