If you’re longing to experience the benefits of meditation but just can’t get started, you are not alone! So many people find it hard to meditate, when really it’s just focused awareness.
Anyone can meditate. If you worry about your “busy mind” interrupting your flow, understand that it’s natural to have thoughts when you are meditating – everybody does! I like to compare meditation to a row boat on a lake, sometimes there will be waves that gently rock the boat (mind chatter), but you are safe in your rowboat, and the rocking is just part of the ride.
When your accept mind chatter as part of the meditative experience, you can flow with your thoughts as they pass by, just like a rowboat rides the waves. Don’t judge your thoughts – or yourself for having them. When you do, you are creating an emotional charge, and your meditation becomes more about the chatter than the fullness of the experience.
Once you start your practice, you’ll find that 20 minutes a day of quiet awareness allows you “drop in” to a mindful, calm state whenever you need to. There are so many ways that time spent meditating spills over into the rest of your day, doing wonderful things for your mind, body and spirit.
Getting started – one day at a time.
Start by setting aside 20 minutes. Sit down in a comfortable chair with your feet on the ground and your hands in a comfortable position. Focus on your breath. Breathe in and out slowly – holding the breath for a few seconds after each inhale and exhale. Thoughts will come, but don’t focus on them, just let them flow over and around you like water – then quietly and without judgment go back to your breathing. You can set a timer for 20 minutes, but when it goes off, don’t leap up! Give yourself a few more moments to come into your body and savor the feeling of peace, love and oneness. Set your intention to bring those feelings with you throughout the day.
That was day one. Congratulations – you’re meditating. Now do the same thing tomorrow and repeat daily.
Keep it up, and here are some of the benefits that you can look forward to:
Reduced stress, anxiety and depression.
The act of incorporating a little “meditative white space” in your busy day has been proven to reduce the symptoms of some mental disorders. People who suffer from stress, ADD, anxiety, and depression tend to experience distracting or unwanted thoughts. Meditation trains the mind to free itself from these thought patterns – not just while meditating, but as they occur throughout the day.
A healthier body and stronger immune system.
Meditation has a positive impact on many health related issues.
It can help ease chronic pain, improve heart health, lower blood pressure, boost mood and immunity, and resolve pregnancy problems and menopausal issues.
A sense of oneness with Source.
Meditation helps you to feel one with the universe – connected to the Source energy. It was while meditating that I had the realization that our lives here on earth are just a tiny tip of the iceberg – and that we are truly souls having a human experience. By allowing that awareness in, I was able to let go of old experiences from my past that were holding me back, and embrace the fact that we are all the same!
Love and compassion for yourself and others.
When I meditate, I raise my vibration and send loving energy inward, and then out to the world. Through an ongoing practice of meditation you can replace fear and negativity with compassion, and begin to experience a more joyful state of being.
Tapping into that quiet place where you can hear your inner voice.
We are all naturally intuitive, but the noise and hustle of life can drown out the voice of our soul – our intuition. Taking time to connect with source each day allows your inner voice to be heard, along with enhancing your awareness of signs from angels, guides and deceased loved ones.
I can’t imagine life without meditation – this simple practice touches every part of me – mind, body and soul.
For me, and many of my students, meditation is the foundation of my connection to Spirit and Source energy. To begin building your own foundation of meditation, I encourage you to check out my 8 week course – Mastering Meditation. I made it extra affordable so that everyone can experience the benefits of meditation in their life.