Meditation is said to have a ton of positive effects on the mind, body, and spirit. By meditating regularly, you may be able to reduce stress, control anxiety levels, strengthen your mind, improve your emotional health, and lots more. Unfortunately, there are many people all over the world who feel like they can’t meditate because they have never tried before. If this sounds familiar to you, then now is a fantastic time to ditch your preconceived notions and experience what the benefits of regular meditation can do for you and your health.
To get started, you need to remember that meditation is an ancient practice with hundreds of different approaches. This guide aims to help you find tactics that work for you by introducing you to some of the basic ideas behind the action.
What’s Your Intention?
A great way to start meditating is by focusing on an intention. For some, the goal of meditating is to feel less stressed. Other people enjoy this calming activity because it helps them pinpoint problem areas of their lives that need to change. Deciding upon an intention before meditating can help to give you a sense of focus about the activity. Don’t overthink your intention, though. Sit down and come up with something that will help you feel better. The more you meditate, the easier it will become to focus on an intention that makes sense for you.
Setting a specific intention or goal also helps you to have an idea of whether or not meditation is helping. For example, a lot of people tend to meditate to deal with anxiety. If you still feel anxious after beginning the process, then it might mean you need to try something different to help you achieve your goals. This is not something you are going to “get right on the first try,” and you need to remind yourself of this. Practice makes perfect, and intentions help you to truly define what it is you need to practice.
Make a Move
A popular misconception of meditation is that you need to be seated in silence in order to take part. This could not be further from the truth. The beauty of meditation is that you can engage with the practice whenever and however you find most useful. Sitting still could make sense for some people, but others will get a lot more out of the process by being active. Taking a walk, for example, is an absolutely fantastic way to experience the benefits of meditation.
According to research, walking helps to activate the mind in very unique ways. Many people swear by walking, saying that they are able to find focus in their thoughts and discover some of their best ideas this way. When sitting in a stationary position does not seem appealing to you, try taking a leisurely walk without a set destination. See what this does for you and if it helps your mind in the way you would like. Experiment with different tactics, and you’ll easily discover an approach that makes the most sense for you.
Slowly Change Your Approach
Once you have started to figure out what works for you, it can be helpful to start adjusting your approach to get more out of the process. If you start meditating for only ten minutes a day and stick with the practice for a few weeks, then start increasing how long you meditate in small increments. As you continue with the practice, you’ll start to learn which adjustments work best for you and which you can do without.
Meditating is an excellent way to feel better about your life and learn how to reduce how much stress you take on. Find the approach that helps you the most, and see what meditation can do to help you.