If you are a beginner to the world of Meditation you may find that although this practice in essence is straight forward, the amount of information available can sometimes become overwhelming. It is easy to feel defeated if you have tried to meditate before and find your mind wandering and lose focus. It's important however, to remember that there is no right or wrong way, and like anything else in life the more you do it, the better you get. With some simple understanding and techniques from this article you can move forward with more confidence, knowing you are doing something for yourself that is of the highest level of self-love and connection. All you need to do, is begin. Firstly, what is Meditation? Meditation is the practice of intentionally spending time with ourselves. It involves being still and quiet, ceasing all activity, letting go of effort and focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques. In this way, we eliminate external distractions and focus on our internal experience and the present moment. Our natural essence is serenity, joy, peace and love, but in today’s busy society, we spend most of our time focused on external things. When we focus within, the balance between our internal and external experience increases, our awareness expands, and all the benefits of meditation begin to unfold. “Mediation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body” – Deepak Chopra What are the benefits of Meditation? When we meditate, we introduce far-reaching and long-lasting benefits into our lives. You become an observer of your inner thoughts and feelings, which allows you to act more compassionately towards yourself and others.
Areas of your life where meditation can help are vast: - Clearer focus & clarity, ability to concentrate better - Resilience, inner strength and better coping ability - Lower stress and anxiety levels - Better connection to your thoughts, feelings and intuition - Emotions are more balanced - Increased physical energy - Promotes deep rest and relaxation - Find answers you seek to questions or problems - Increase self-love and appreciation - Increase empathy and understanding of others, nature and the world around us - Deep healing of emotional and physical pain - Connect with the present moment and promote more joy in life
- Heighten your spiritual awareness and connection to the spiritual realm - Balance between mind, body and soul
- Increase joy and happiness (a happy life!)
Guided Meditation for Gratitude
This Meditation is easy for beginners. We can all find something to be grateful for, and gratitude is a helpful and easy way to feel present and joyful.
1. Find a clear and quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Silence your phone. Sit in a comfortable position on the floor, on a cushion or chair, make sure you are able to sit comfortably for the duration of the meditation. About ten minutes is a good start for beginners.
2. Close your eyes and begin to breath gently, relax your shoulders, noticing your body and your breath. Start taking mindful breaths – in through the nose for the count of four – and out through the mouth for the count of four.
3. Think about your life, and how lucky you are. Take a moment and think of 3 things you are grateful for. As you inhale, feel extra gratitude for these things. If you find your mind wandering, simply be an observer to these thoughts and do not judge them, be kind to yourself. Then bring your focus back to your breath and the things you are grateful for.
4. Notice how when you are mindful and grateful, how much happier and peaceful you become. At the end of your ten minutes, take one more deep breath in and hold for four, exhale for four. Before you open your eyes, bask in this amazing feeling of gratitude that you can take with you for the rest of the day.
Building a habit is important, so if possible try and do it at the same time every day. Enjoy your new meditation practice as part of your Happy Life.
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