Reap the Benefits of Meditation

Meditation and Its Benefits

Meditation is a practice with a wide range of meanings for people. For some, it may be part of a religious practice, while for others it may simply be a secular practice for relaxation and restoration. There is no one definition of meditation or one “right” way to do it. In general, meditating involves focused attention, controlled breathing, and a quiet environment.

Benefits of meditation include the following:

• Improved stress management
• Better sleep
• Increased self-awareness
• Gains in imagination and creativity
• New perspectives on situations
• Increased mindfulness
• Lower resting heart rate
• Pain management
• Improved concentration and focus
• Enhanced emotional well-being

How to Start a Meditation Practice

For a basic meditation:

1. Sit comfortably in a quiet location
2. Close your eyes
3. Inhale through your nose slowly and exhale through your nose slowly
4.  Relax, be present and open minded

Start with just a few minutes and gradually increase the time to find what works for you. Try meditating at different times of the day. To make this a new habit, insert meditating right after something you already consistently do (like immediately after brushing your teeth).

Once you have the basics down, you can add variety:

• Change your sitting posture or even lie down, stand or walk
  • Check out Yoga Nidra or Joe Dispenza’s walking meditation
• Try different breathing techniques
  • Search for “deep abdominal breathing”, “alternate nostril breathing” or “box breathing”
• Repeat a specific word, phrase, or sound silently or aloud
  •  “I am enough”, “Love”, “Amen”, “Om”, etc.
• Listen to meditation music with headphones/earbuds
  • Wayne Dyer’s Wishes Fulfilled meditation is my favorite
• Experiment with guided meditations through YouTube or various apps
  • Vishen Lakhiani’s 6 Phase Meditation is a good one to start with
• Use hand gestures (mudras)
  • A common mudra is “Prayer position”- press the palms together in front of the chest
• Add some tapping!!
  • Dawson Church has a guided Eco Meditation that incorporates tapping
• Get assistance with a meditation device
  • I use the BrainTap headset

My Meditation Practice

I prefer meditating in the morning, but occasionally I’ll add another session later in the day. I use a combination of all the techniques mentioned above. Generally, I start with a guided BrainTap meditation and then I continue with whatever seems appealing at the time. I may meditate for 10 minutes, or I may continue for nearly an hour. Meditating gives me more energy and mental clarity. This relaxing and restorative practice is an important part of my self-care routine.

Give meditation a try and create your own unique practice. Experience the benefits for yourself!