By Nicole Zahri, MC, LPC | Counselor
What is meditation?
Meditation is a practice of increasing awareness and developing perspective. There are many kinds of meditation, one form is called mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation involves paying attention to the breath and sitting quietly. You may have thought, ‘I tried meditation and I couldn’t get my mind to go blank, I don’t think I can do it.’ The truth is, you can, and everyone’s mind wanders.
Mindful.com lists the following as some benefits of meditation:
1. Understanding your pain
2. Lower your stress
3. Connect better
4. Improve focus
5. Reduce brain chatter
How can I get into meditation?
Getting started with meditation is easy and anyone can do it. We will address the coveted “quiet mind” idea of meditation later, but know it isn’t a prerequisite for meditation
- Find a place to sit quietly.
You want to be relaxed but awake, so sit comfortably rather than lying down. Sit tall, and if you’re able to, close your eyes or find a spot to focus on and stare at, like a spot on the wall or the ground. Keep your focus on the same spot throughout your meditation.
2. Begin by noticing your breath.
Pay attention to breath flowing into your body and out of your body. Notice the feeling of air entering your nose – cooler on the inhale, warmer on the exhale. You might prefer to feel your lungs expanding and contracting or your belly rising and falling. Just pay attention to the place you most strongly feel the sensation of your breath.
3. When your mind wanders, recognize it (say ‘wandering’ to yourself), then return attention to your breath.
You may only take a few breaths before your mind starts to wander. Whatever you experience is it’s absolutely normal. The goal is notice it, and return to your breath, notice, return to the breath, notice, return to the breath. There is no judgment. Be kind to yourself and simply return to the breath.
4. Continue for 2 – 5 minutes.
Set a time limit before you begin and use a timer so you don’t wonder how much time has passed.
You do not need to spend a long time in meditation in order to get a benefit. Just practicing for a few minutes at a time can help you center yourself and refocus. Don’t feel pressure to continue for longer.
5. End your meditation with intention.
When you are done, it can feel good to stretch or take a deep breath. Do whatever feels good to you. Give yourself a pat on the back for taking care of yourself and go about your day.
Focusing on the breath, brings us to the present moment. Noticing, thinking, and returning to the breath helps us create a small distance from our thinking, so we don’t get so caught up in our thoughts. With practice, we can start observing our thoughts, emotions, and bodies with less judgement and stress.
Your mind will never be totally quiet, but with practice you might have a different perspective on your mind.
How can I get help and make meditation easier?
Check out Mindful.org’s How to Meditate for more information about getting started with mindful meditation and some free guided meditation recordings.
You can also find great resources in your app store to help you get started with meditation. I suggest trying one of these great apps:
