Unless you've been living in a cave on a desert island for the last few years you'll have heard all about the benefits of meditation, how it can improve your mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing and how easy it is to start a daily meditation practise.
You may have heard it all - but have you found the time to dedicate to YOU to really discover the benefits for yourself?
The Buddha was once asked "What have you gained from Meditation?"
He replied, "Nothing! However, let me tell you what I have lost: Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of old age and Death".
The top scientifically proved benefits of meditation are as follows:
Reduced Stress
Emotional Balance
Increased Focus
Reduced Pain
Reduced Anxiety
Increased Creativity
Reduced Depression
Increased Memory
Increased Self Awareness
Just ten minutes spent focusing on your breathing and clearing your mind can change your perspective, bring clarity, peace of mind and balance to your life, making it an essential part of your daily Self-Care routine.
Regular meditation can strengthen your connection to your Spirit Team and to your Higher Self. You will find it easier to follow your intuition and recognise messages and signs in your daily life.
If you are just starting out, you may find that it can be a struggle at first and often we give up because we can't seem to silence our minds - but what if sometimes meditation is as simple as sitting quietly and allowing our minds to wander?
These meditation tips can help if you're just getting started, or even if you've been meditating for a while. The most important thing is to not put pressure on yourself and enjoy the process!
Sit or lie down comfortably and make sure you won't be disturbed.
Set a time limit - start with 5 minutes and work up to about 15 minutes.
Close your eyes and focus on either the end of your nose or the space behind your eyes. You can also leave your eyes open and focus on a spot on the floor. You'll know if your mind has wandered if you find yourself looking elsewhere.
Take 3 long and deep breaths to centre yourself, then fall into your natural breathing pattern, practise box breathing or any other breathing technique you are familiar with.
Bring all your attention to your breath, feeling each inhale and exhale throughout your body.
Allow your mind to wander wherever it wishes.
Pay attention to any messages you receive, inspiration for work projects or clarity about situations in your life - write them down as soon as possible after your meditation.
If you find your mind focusing on to-do lists or worrying about anything, simply bring your attention back to your breath.
Some people don't find it easy to just sit and do nothing but breathe - and that's OK. My meditation routine has changed completely recently, thanks to our puppy, Thalia! I've let go of the need to meditate religiously every morning, accepting that some days it's just not possible to sit and meditate without her jumping all over me - probably trying to chase all the spirits and angels around me while I'm connected!
On those days I make my morning walk with Thalia my meditation. I set the intention before we set off that each step will release any stress or tension in my body, and I do my best to focus on my breathing, noticing the fields, trees and birdsong around me as we walk - not always easy, especially when Thalia catches the scent of a rabbit, but it still leaves me feeling refreshed and energised, better than I would have felt if I'd spent the whole walk thinking about things in my head.
You can incorporate meditation into any of your daily activities - washing the dishes, cooking or housework, taking a bath or shower, making your tea or coffee - the possibilities are literally endless. If you can manage to do everything with your focus on your breath, immersed in whatever you are doing, this is also a form of meditation.
Make meditation part of your daily routine, whether it's in the morning to get the day off to a great start, or in the evening to release the stresses of the day - or both - give yourself permission to breathe for 5 minutes every day and you'll soon start to see the benefits in all areas of your life.
I've created a Tera Mai™ Healing Infused Meditation for you to listen to whenever you feel the need to relax and heal - get yours today:
