I used to think meditation was only for a certain type of person, not the kind of person I was with the kind of job I had – besides I didn’t have time to meditate, I had too much to do!
Having some time away from the office, meeting new people gave me a chance to learn new things and gain new perspectives and one of the things I started trying, was meditation. I was comforted by the logical explanations of my first meditation guide, it is true that our minds are crucial, why then do we view exercises them as less important a task as going to the gym, or for a run?
Having explored more with meditation I am very bought in given the benefits I have seen in my life. It makes me a happier, more grounded person and I think one who is actually more effective at work. In the office it has really helped me with taking a step back and seeing the bigger picture as well as with more creative / strategic type tasks.
Now if you’re busy, have a hectic schedule or simply feel like you would like to explore more within your comfort zone you may wish to create a practice at home rather than going to more formal meditation classes.
I know how at the beginning it’s really easy to be frustrated when you have difficulty with quieting the mind or with meditating regularly and so I am going to share with you some of my tips for meditating at home to help you getting started:
6 Tips for Learning Meditation
- Search youtube (or whatever music source you use) for relaxing music without words for the length of time you want to meditate for. I normally search something like “meditation music”. I think it is best to have a timeframe for your meditation otherwise you can feel overwhelmed.
- Start with a short time period like 5 minutes and build up. If you are struggling to clear your mind, why not try a guided meditation? Here is one of my favorite easy 5 minute meditations
- Schedule time to meditate into your day. Try and do this daily but if this doesn’t fit into your life don’t worry and just schedule what is reasonable for you. Also, if your schedule is more hectic perhaps combine tasks such as doing a yoga class which hits your exercise target and also includes shavasana which is a chance to meditate.
- Try and fit mindfulness into your everyday life – I like to take time in the shower to be present and I would recommend trying to focus on the present a couple times of day. Something like a short walk at lunch time can really help you to tap into the present. Try these mindfulness exercises to learn more.
- Experiment with different techniques, focus on your breath, try a mantra, try a guided meditation. There are many different styles of meditation find one that works for you!
- Find a friend to meditate with – not necessarily together although you can do this but to check in with. Maybe she has found a great mediation on youtube to show you or perhaps you read a great book with some great ideas for new meditation techniques. Sharing the experience with someone will mean you’re much more likely to stick to your new goal.
I hope this has helped you guys – I certainly found it hard to keep this snappy given how passionately I know feel about meditation and the clear benefits it brings. Please let me know if you found this useful or if you have any other tips to share!
