If you yearn for a greater sense of calm, a fresh way to focus your attention and positive change in your life, meditation is an effective strategy for achieving it. The best part is it doesn’t require special equipment, just the motivation to stick with it. Meditation takes practice, but over time you’ll learn to filter out the distractions and discover the many benefits that deep reflection offers.
What are some of the benefits of meditation? Regular meditation promotes mindfulness, increases self-awareness, improves focus and helps relieve stress. Meditation is a practice that’s been around for thousands of years in one form or another, but it’s only recently that it has become a part of daily life in Western countries, and many are enjoying the mental and physical benefits it offers.
One reason people give for not meditating regularly is a lack of time. With a long list of things to do, it seems the perfect time for meditating never presents itself. However, meditation sessions can be as short as 5 or 10 minutes. Here are some ideal times to do it.
When You Wake Up
What you do as soon as you wake up sets the tone for the day, and what better way to start it than with meditation? Studies show that early morning meditations and exercises can have a positive impact on mind and body and help you become more mindful, present, aware, and focused. It’s often easier to get into a meditative state upon awakening when your mind isn’t as cluttered with thoughts.
While Walking Outdoors
You might think meditation is something you do with your eyes closed as you sit in a chair or lie on a bed, but meditative walking is another approach. In the case of meditative walking, you don’t walk for speed or focus on getting your heart rate up. Instead, you slow down the pace and become mindful of your movements and the experience of being in nature.
Shift your focus to the movement of your feet, the sensation of your breath, and the feeling of your feet touching the ground with each step. Breathe in the fresh air mindfully and absorb the sunshine hitting your shoulders.
In Your Car
While you wouldn’t want to meditate while you’re driving, once you park your car at your destination, spend 5 or 10 minutes meditating before getting our of your car. If there’s lots of activity around you, it might be challenging at first, but as you learn to meditate, you’ll tune the distractions out.
A meditation session will clear your mind and prepare you for the upcoming day. While you’re still learning, it could also be helpful to use a meditation app to direct your focus.
These are just a few ways to try meditation. We encourage you to try it today and see if it works for you.
Focus Mental Wellness therapists are able to help with you get started with meditation and mindfulness techniques, helping you to get started on a path to a greater sense of calm, through video and phone therapy as well as unlimited text therapy.
