Meditation is not my thing! Have you really tried?

It might seem strange to be calm and present in times like these but the time for meditation could not be more right. Why?

Meditation of any kind makes us aware what happens in our surroundings - we take a step back and learn to observe what happens around us - accepting the ebbs and flows of life as it happens so our but is just rocked a little less. We find focus and clarity. Turning inwards to create a sense a calm and a space of inner compassion to face the world outside. What I often hear from my clients: " Meditation is not for me. It is hard to sit and be in silence." or " I started off in a good regularly during the holidays, and now that I am back at work I can not seem to find the time...."

Why mediate?

For your inner peace, balance and wellbeing

Multiple studies have found that meditation has many physical and mental health benefits, alleviating anxiety and depression, even potentially reducing high blood pressure and physical pain. As for a person’s mental state, experts argue that meditation helps people build self-compassion and resilience that can help them through the uncertainty of the pandemic.

How to meditate?

Find out which meditation type you are? It is all about preferences.

As sitting, breathing and being is the most common mindfulness meditation in fact it is not for everyone. Thoughts can be perceived as intrusive. It takes time and continuous practice to let them enter and exit the mind without being attached or distracted. This positive effect helps us to be calmer and more balanced in difficult times as the mind loves to fill uncertainty with its own narrative that tends to upset us. In the beginning it is hard to sit for even 5 minutes. As you practice more you see "quick" results of training your mind and feel the benefits. It is also helpful to focus on the breath, an object (candle), or count the in an out breath. Short mantras like "So-ham ( I AM) " repeated in your mind with the in and out breath help to bring you into the "rhythm". Try it. And if it does not work. What about a moving mediation?

This could be a body scan which involves focusing slowly on every part of the body and sensing whether there is any tightness or discomfort or nothing at all. No equipment is needed as you connect and get grounded in your body, and practitioners can either sit or lie down, whichever feels more comfortable.

Movement-based meditation invokes mindfulness by focusing on how the body is moving during an exercise. Walking meditation can be helpful for anyone who would rather be active while meditating instead of sitting or lying down. It involves walking and focusing on the movement that your body makes. It can mean feeling the pressure of the foot against the concrete or dirt path, focusing on the breath leaving and entering your body, or hearing the sounds that your body is making or focussing on your feed only. Walking meditation can happen at any speed and any place, indoors or outdoors, as long as the mind’s focus is on the body’s movement. The only equipment needed is a comfortable pair of shoes. I prefer to do it without shoes for a deeper experience.

Yoga can be another form of moving meditation. During "yoga meditation", practitioners focus on the breath and movement of the body while doing poses that stretch or open specific parts of the body- in Ashtanga Yoga you are holding your poses for 5 breaths and match all movement to breath. For me it feels like flowing. A regular yoga practice helps relieve stress, improve concentration, and increase body awareness.

Visualization meditation involves visualizing something positive while you meditate, and there are various styles that have different psychological benefits. Visualization can be as simple as picturing a scene of nature, or personalized, like picturing the results of achieving a future goal. One common guided meditation script involves picturing yourself in a safe place or with a person that makes you feel safe. You can include also other senses like touch and smell or focusing on sounds without judging them.

The METTA Meditation - Loving-kindness meditation comes from the Metta Bhavana tradition of Buddhism. It involves receiving and sending loving thoughts through meditation, either to specific people or out into the world in general. In the traditional practice of Metta meditation, loving is practiced first toward oneself, while repeating mantras such as “May I be happy. May I be safe. May I be peaceful. May I be healthy” Later the mantras are extended to others, including one’s loved ones and people one dislikes.

How to get started?

Making Mindfulness a habit - All it takes is a clear intention, finding your routine and a space for your type of mediation. The key is meditating regularly. If you would like to learn more click on the link above to find a quick guide to get started easily. If you want to try it and would like to cultivate more mindfulness in your daily life contact me for the mindfulness special: www.planb-coaching.eu. Looking forward to support you to find your inner peace and calm during challenging times like these.