Meditation is not a self-improvement project, it’s a lifestyle choice. Most people assume that meditation is difficult, and, in many ways, it can be if you believe it to be difficult. Yet, if you approach meditation with an open mind and appreciate that it is a practise, something that you need to practise daily, then your expectations of yourself and how you should meditate will disappear.
There is no right or wrong in meditation – it is what it is. Now that may sound a little bit frivolous or flippant to those who find meditation difficult, but let me share the truth about meditation.
1.You will always have thoughts. As human beings we have between 60 to 80,000 thoughts a day. 95% of the thoughts that you have today you will have tomorrow the day after and the day after and so on. So in essence we cannot stop our thoughts appearing, but what we can do, is to stop following the thought. We do this by focusing on the breath. Focusing on the inhale and exhale and in some forms of meditation we can also use a mantra to focus on.
Both the breath and the mantra should be used as a vehicle to draw your attention inwards rather chasing or following a thought that will take your attention outwards. You must accept and appreciate that thoughts will be always present, and you have a choice in that moment whether to chase the thought or mindfully let that thought disappear and come back to your mantra or focus on the breath
- In meditation it is highly likely that you’ll fall asleep, you might end up nodding your head like a Noddy Dog and that’s okay because that’s your body trying to heal itself. When we are anxious, stressed, overwhelmed with life, meditation is a great way for your body to heal.
Falling asleep in mediation is normal. When you have healed and your body does not need sleep you won’t fall asleep in meditation – the aim is to be in a rested state of awareness. - The final thing that you might experience in meditation is falling into the gap, this is where you drop down into pure silence and connect to source. Now you will never know that you’ve been in the gap until you come out of the gap, meaning that you are not consciously aware of dropping into that infinite silence. If you go searching for this infinite silence, where all possibilities lie, your true self resides that deep connection to source then you may never get there.
It’s important to remember that if you force meditation, you judge whether you’re doing well, it’s good or bad, it’s right or wrong then the meditation practise will not be as it’s meant to be.
How do you meditate?
You simply find yourself a quiet space, ideally you will meditate first thing in the morning so when you’ve woken up, you find your quiet space and you sit silently connecting to your breath. Start off with two minutes every morning, the week after, increase to four minutes, then increase to six and beyond until you reach the 20 or 30 minute mark. If you’re new to meditation you might want to be guided through a meditation session and there’s lots of apps to support that. You can also look at doing my on demand one life meditation programme which will give you all the tools and tips to help you meditate successfully. You’ll learn to meditate with a mantra and your breath to support a realistic meditation practice.
Remember meditation there is no requirement for perfection it is a simple practise.
Meditation requires commitment and a desire sit quietly to turn your attention inwards until overtime you learn to quiet your mind. If you do this practise and follow these steps every day for 30 days, you will find yourself in a different mindset. You will notice that life is easier and your outlook will be different. Alongside those general benefits of meditation, you will also find the following happening internally to you:
1. Your blood pressure will lower
2. Your cholesterol will lower
3. Your anti ageing hormones will increase meaning you will look fresher and younger
4. Your stress levels anxiety levels and sense of overwhelmed will start to disappear
5. You will feel rested and have more energy
6. You will have more clarity and focus
7. Your sleep patterns will improve
Finally, you will have a greater sense of balance an overall Wellness. Try it – you have nothing to loose!
