With the New Year in full swing, many resolutions are most likely losing some steam by now. If you are finding yourself stressed, unable to lose weight or are simply just unmotivated, some advice is to do nothing. Literally. Sit there and do…. Nothing. Sounds too good to be true, right? This unbelievable act is better known as meditation. Meditation is a not so secret gem that most people are aware of, but fail to utilize. They know it can help ease anxieties, boost their mood, clear the mind and reset the body’s energy, but most people do not know how or where to begin.
When it comes to meditating, the first questions usually are “what is the best way to meditate?,” “how long should I meditate for?” and “how often?” There is no wrong way to meditate. While there are tons of different approaches, (breathing techniques, visualizations, positioning of body, etc.) you need to find which style you resonate best with. Whatever honors your spirit and feels most comfortable is what will be best for you. You can stand, sit, lay, count breaths, count sheep, play music, use a guide, or be in silence. The object of meditating is just to be present. Let go of your thoughts, to-do lists and judgements. Something as simple as counting ten breaths is meditation. A general rule of thumb for time is to start small. The object is to be relaxed, not stressed! Start by practicing a few deep belly breaths and notice how you feel. If you find your mind wandering, always come back to the breath. Slowly work your way up to a minute. Strive to increase by an additional minute each week. You can do this as frequent as you want; when you first wake up, when you are stuck in traffic, on your lunch break or nighttime before bed. Eventually you will be able to reach longer time spans, more frequently.
In today’s world, we are conditioned to believe that the pursuit of happiness is found in external stimuli. We aspire for fame, fortune, a perfect body, house and life. We search for answers from experts, scientists and gurus. We travel the globe to “find ourselves.” All the while, what we are looking for lies within each and every one of us. Meditation allows us to tap into a flow of clarity, abundance and even happiness. It relaxes the mind, energizes the body and enlightens the spirit. When you feel balanced, other great things will begin to manifest. You’ll be more clear headed and thus, more proficient at work. You will feel more energized and inspired to take care of your body by eating better and staying physically active. Finding happiness from the inside will allow more happiness to transcribe externally. If you are finding that your New Year’s resolutions have come to an alarming halt, maybe it’s time to make a new one: Meditate.
By: Nicole Heuschkel, L.Ac
Check out some of these links and apps that we love. We hope that one of them will guide you on your new journey!
Gabrielle Bernstein: https://gabbyb.tv/free-meditation
Deepak Chopra: https://www.chopra.com/ccl/guided-meditations
App: Insight Timer https://insighttimer.com/
Michael Stone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/michael-stone-podcast/id923427517?mt=2
