Mindfulness is the new buzz word out there and maybe you have also heard people say that meditation is a wonderful mindfulness practice. Are you new to meditation or have you not tried it out before? Read below to see how you can benefit from making meditation practices your best mate!
What is meditation?
Meditation is the habitual process of focusing, connecting your mind and body and redirecting your thoughts. It is a practice that helps you return to the present moment and focus on what simply is, right now, without attaching any labels (“this is good/bad/sad/ terrible/ difficult”) to the present moment. When we choose to constantly live in the past (thinking about what we could have done differently or blaming others for what they did to us) or in the future (thinking about to-do lists, plans that we need to make etc.) it often makes us feel anxious, stressed, depressed, sad and so forth.
You don't need to be a guru to reap the benefits of meditation such as stress and anxiety reduction, a decrease in depressive symptoms, enhanced self-awareness and a lengthened attention span.
What does research indicate about meditation?
Research indicates that meditation has a huge impact not only on your mood but on your quality of life as well. There are many different styles of meditation, each with its own strengths. The key is to find the style that suits you best.
Where do I start if I want to see if I can make meditation my best mate?
The beauty of starting is that you can start small. Meditation is a skill that you need to teach yourself. Our heads are filled with many thoughts on a daily basis as we rush through our busy lives. Meditation asks us to be still and calm our minds and believe me, that is tough! Luckily there are many apps that can help you get started. A good app to use is Insight Timer. There are over 32 000 meditations to listen to and you can adjust the settings to suit your particular need. It's a free app so give it a try.
Yours in inner peace & wellbeing,