The Beginners Guide to Meditation
Why meditate?
Meditation can have extensive mental and physical health benefits, and you need less than 10 minutes alone each day to do it. It might seem difficult to get started and keep up a routine, but it is a great habit to start.
Meditation isn't about learning how to empty your mind or stop your thoughts. Instead, meditation is the practice of training your attention and focus from a place of non-judgement.
Mindfulness meditation is the most common type of meditation in the West — and perhaps the easiest one to start. Mindfulness has to do with paying attention to what you're feeling and observing in the present moment.
It's important to recognize that meditation and mindfulness are not one in the same.
If the main idea of meditation is to be present and aware of your thoughts and feelings, mindfulness is the ongoing practice of honing that awareness and reconnecting to what we do and why we do it. Meditation is the intentional practice of mindfulness. Instead of focusing on a specific task, you're focusing on each inhale and exhale of your breathing. This type of mindful breathing is an important and useful way to anchor your focus in the present moment. Mindfulness meditation can be done anywhere that you can focus. Here are a few steps to help you meditate:
Find a quiet space. Make sure there is nothing to disturb you before you start meditation. Turn your phone on silent and go into a room away from others.
Sit in a comfortable position. You can sit on top of a cushion or blanket, on the floor or in a chair. Sit upright, but don't tense up — your body should feel relaxed.
Breathe gently. Focus your attention on each inhale and exhale. Alternatively, you can begin with a body scan: focus on each part of the body, down from your toes and up to your head, pausing to notice the sensations.
Let distractions come and go. If your mind wanders, acknowledge the thought that has distracted you, but do not dwell on it. Then, gently bring your attention back to your breathing. Getting distracted when meditating is inevitable and one of the biggest worries for beginners — but learning how to manage distraction is a vital part of the process.
Meditating for just five to 10 minutes each day is an achievement to be proud of. Some people like to meditate for as long as 30 minutes to 45 minutes once they become more experienced, but there are benefits even with short amounts of practice. If possible, try to meditate at the same time every day, as this will help you build a habit so you build meditation into your daily schedule. And if you have to skip a day for whatever reason, don't be too hard on yourself — just try to get back to your routine the next day. Research has found that meditation can improve your mental and physical health in a variety of ways.
Here are seven science-backed benefits of meditation:
Better focus and concentration. Studies have found that meditation can increase grey matter in parts of the brain responsible for memory and learning.
Improve self-esteem and self-awareness. Self-observation without judgement is one of the core tenets of meditation, and it can help you see yourself in a new way.
Reduce stress. Meditation can lower levels of cortisol — the stress hormone — and help you feel more calm and relaxed.
Help manage anxiety or depression. Daily meditation is one of the best natural treatment methods for anxiety disorders, as well as other mental illnesses.
Fight addiction. Research has found that mindfulness training can help prevent future relapses for those with substance use disorders.
Control pain. Many doctors recommend meditation – especially body scans — to help manage chronic pain.
Promote altruistic behavior. Some studies have found that meditation may even reduce implicit bias and fight against racial prejudice.
To help you get started with meditation, the good people at Insider Reviews have put together a list of the best meditation apps.
Some of these guided apps are well-suited for specific purposes, such as:
For daily use: Headspace
For sleep: Calm
For variety: Insight Timer
For skeptics: Ten Percent Happier
For newbies: Simple Habit
Source: https://www.insider.com/how-to-meditate