Meditation has been around for thousands of years originating in the east, dating back to as early as 5,000 BCE. It is a simple practice of focusing the brain. This intentional practice of focus helps us to increase concentration, awareness and calmness. While meditation has ties to religion, today is it used in both religious and secular manners. Prayer can be thought of as a form of meditation. For many, meditation is commonly used for relaxation, stress reduction and overall health.
What is meditation?
Meditation is a form of brain training; training the mind to focus while developing awareness. In meditation we are not trying to erase our mind of thoughts. In meditation we aim to quiet the mind by not giving attention or focus to the thoughts. When thoughts or feelings do arise, we do not erase them but instead notice the thoughts and feelings without judgement.
Speaking to a thought or feeling: “Aww..there you are. I’ll come back to you later. Right now I am going to focus my mind on my breath.”
When beginning to meditate and even long into a practice for years, the breath is commonly used as a focus point. Some might repeat a word or sentence, like a mantra.
Have you ever been lost in a train of thought? Or do you find yourself in constant thought all day long? At times, the train of thought can be going at high-speed. Meditation can help us notice the train of thought. When we practice focusing our mind, we can direct the train rather than be overwhelmed by the train (of thought).
How to Practice
Meditation benefits both our physical and emotional well-being. If you haven’t tried it, here are a few helpful tips to practicing on your own.
- Use a timer. By setting a timer, your mind doesn’t need to think about whether you have meditated too long or not enough. Take the worry out of how long to meditate. Use your phone, kitchen timer or alarm clock.
- Find a comfortable place to sit that is quiet with little or no distractions. This will help your body relax and your mind focus.
- Make a plan. Schedule a time to meditate in your day. Mark it in a calendar or put up a reminder. Tell a friend so that they can by your accountability partner.
Sign up for a Guided Practice
If you keep putting off the meditation practice, sign up for a guided meditation class. A guided class is a great way to be introduced to meditation or to jump start your practice. Awareness of Mind offers a free, guided meditation class every Monday at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Another great option is an app. There are many out there and we haven’t tried them all but some we can share are Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer. There is a fee for these but worth trying out.
In our meditation series, we will be sharing insights and practices on different ways to meditate. There will be tips each week to help you start and continue the practice.
Photo Credit: Zoltan Tasi