Meditation is the learning to observe yourself without judgment and gaining a healthy sense of perspective. There are many forms of meditation – not just sitting and saying oms.
There is no perfect form of meditation – it’s a learned skill that involves continual practice just like any other skill.
Meditation is not about clearing your thoughts, it is seeing your thought more clearly. It also does not make you a new, better or different person. You do not have to be spiritual or religious to practice meditation and anyone can meditate – regardless of their religious beliefs or creed.
There is often a misconception that meditation is about relaxing and it’s not. It may help you relax – but meditation involves a wide range of feelings and emotions that come from clearing your mind.
It’s also not required that you are looking out that ocean while the sun sets or rises. You don’t even have to be wearing white linen clothing…or pressing your fingers together.
The only thing you need to meditate is yourself, a timer and a quiet place to sit. You can sit in a chair or on a bench if you’d like and cross your legs however you wish! Your only focus during meditation should be your breath. The purpose of the timer is to keep your mind focused on your breath.
If you are worried about looking at the time to see how long it’s been – your mind will be wandering. Pick a subtle timer so when you are done you still have feelings of relaxation and renewed energy.
Don’t be hard on yourself if your thoughts start to wander. Meditating is about clearing your mind; simply keep or bring your focus back to your breathing if you begin to experience any thoughts. If you are having difficulty letting go of thoughts, try to count your breaths for a moment to bring your focus back to it.
Often, people feel the idea of meditation is intimidating for fear of doing it incorrectly or not knowing where to start. Let go of those thoughts and beliefs as there is certainly no right or wrong way to meditate! Start small, 3-5 minutes per day and increase the time as you improve your ability to let go of your thoughts.
