Introduction
If you’ve never meditated before, it can seem like a mysterious practice. And if you have done it before, but don’t do it often enough or are new to a particular style of meditation, you might wonder what kind of results to expect from your time spent in quiet introspection. I’m going to demystify meditation for you here and explain exactly how it works—and why it’s worth doing on a regular basis. But first: what is meditation anyway?
What is meditation?
Meditation is a technique to train your mind. It’s not about religion, it’s not about relaxation and it’s certainly not about emptying your mind. Meditation is about training your mind and developing awareness of what is going on inside of you as well as outside of you.
Why should I meditate?
Meditation is a practice that has been around for centuries, but it’s still not as well known in Western culture. In fact, meditation is becoming a more popular topic these days as people look for ways to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Many people who meditate report feeling less stressed and anxious after they start the practice, which can help them cope with depression or other mental illnesses. Meditation also helps improve focus, attention span, relaxation–and even creativity! So if any of those sound appealing (and why wouldn’t they?) then keep reading!
How to get started with meditation
You can start with a guided meditation. This means you have someone guiding you through the process, helping to focus your mind and keep it from wandering.
You can also try meditating in a group. Many people find that this is easier than doing it alone because there’s a sense of camaraderie and support among those who are there for the same reason as you–to learn how to meditate more effectively!
Or, if neither of these options appeal to you (or if they do), then just choose somewhere comfortable where no one will bother or interrupt you while practicing your new skill! For example: on the floor near an open window; on top of an old pillow; even inside a closet would work fine if nothing else were available at the time…
Once again: no matter how hard it may seem initially–and trust me when I say this will take practice over time before seeing results–it’s worth sticking with because ultimately those benefits come back around tenfold once fully implemented into daily life routines such as waking up early every morning before work so that by lunchtime during breaks between classes throughout semester break vacations during summer vacations etcetera etcetera ad infinitum ad nauseam ad infinitum
How to meditate if you’re really busy
If you’re really busy, it might seem like meditation is out of reach. But it’s not! In fact, there are a lot of ways to meditate even if you only have 15 minutes in your day.
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Set aside time for formal practice: If possible and feasible for your schedule, make sure that at least once per day (and ideally more often than once) you set aside time where nothing else matters but sitting down with yourself and focusing on being present with whatever comes up in your mind. This could be 5 minutes or 30 minutes–it doesn’t matter how long as long as it’s enough time for both sides of the conversation between yourself and your inner self-talker (more on this later).
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Meditate anywhere: Even if all else fails with finding enough free time during the weekdays or weekends when schedules tend not get too hectic yet still require some sort of structure/orderliness (hello early mornings!), then simply place reminders around yourself so that whenever those moments arise where nothing seems pressing enough which would otherwise keep us distracted from ourselves until next week Monday rolls around again…then use those moments wisely! Whether it means taking advantage off walking into work early so no one else has arrived yet & therefore allowing plenty space inside both headspace & physical space within elevator cabins/hallways etc…or maybe even driving home late at night after work hours end so traffic jams aren’t an issue either way – those times will come regardless whether we like them or not since they happen naturally regardless whether we plan accordingly beforehand; however what CAN change however is HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THEM AFTERWARDS
Mindfully listening to music
Listening to music is another great way to relax, but it’s important to do so mindfully. That means focusing on the sounds of the music, not the lyrics or any other distractions (like your partner’s singing voice). If you’re feeling stressed out or anxious, focus on how your body feels in response to what you hear and notice any changes from moment to moment. You can try listening with headphones if it helps block out any external noises that might distract you from focusing inwardly on what’s going on inside yourself as well as around you at that time.
If at all possible, try listening alone so that there aren’t any other voices competing for attention in their own way–whether they belong directly within an individual song or are part of an entire album!
Practicing mindfulness during the conversation
Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned. It’s also a way of paying attention to the present moment and being aware of what is happening in the present moment. When you are mindful, you’re not trying to change anything or control your thoughts; instead, you’re just observing them as they pass through your mind without attaching any judgment or emotion to them.
In other words: mindfulness involves observing without judgment or attachment (and yes–that does mean that sometimes we’ll find ourselves experiencing negative feelings).
The benefits of meditation for your mental health
Meditation is a great way to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. It’s also been shown to help with focus and memory–you’ll be able to think more clearly about what matters most in your life.
Meditation also improves self-awareness so that you can better understand your emotions without getting caught up in them or letting them control you. This can help improve relationships with others as well as yourself!
Conclusion
The key to meditation is to be present. It’s easy to get distracted by your thoughts, but if you can focus on your breathing and let go of those thoughts, then it will be easier for you to relax and feel calm.
In addition to this, it’s important for newbies like myself who want to learn more about meditation but don’t know where or how they can start! This article has been tremendously helpful in helping me understand what meditation really is, how it works its magic on our brains (and bodies), why we should do it regularly as part of our daily routine–and even how long each session should last!
I also learned about some common mistakes people make when starting out with their first session(s). For example: not having proper posture; being too focused on achieving results instead of simply enjoying the experience; trying too hard instead of relaxing into things naturally…these are all things which have happened before so now I know better than ever before exactly what NOT do next time around!
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the basics of meditation and how it can benefit your mental health. We know that there is a lot of misinformation out there about what meditation is and isn’t–and that’s why we wrote it! If you’ve been considering trying out this practice for yourself, now would be an excellent time to dive in headfirst.