Alongside other yogic traditions, meditation is without a doubt the most powerful form of practice or activity that can help you combat your anxiety and help with stress management. Meditation, however, does take practice, you cannot just meditate once and be done. It’s a constant learning curve—each time you’ve successfully meditated, you improve your ability to experience the goal of meditation without having to do the whole set-up meditation to begin with.
In our modern world where everyone is rushing around, hurrying up to get to work, to hurry up and get home and then to hurry up and get to bed because they’ve got to be up for work in the morning means that our minds are on overdrive all day, every day.
What Are the Benefits of meditation?
– Stillness, not allowing the mind to jump from thought to thought.
– Presence, realising you can only ever be present at the moment no matter how much you think ahead.
– Awareness of thoughts, realising that thoughts come and go and can only have the meaning you give to them
– The peacefulness of the mind, a blissful state of mindlessness by allowing thoughts to fade and appear to ‘switch off’
As well, your brain chemistry will begin to balance itself. Your cortisol (stress hormone) levels begin to lower and your serotonin and endorphin (feel good hormone) levels begin to rise. More importantly is that with practice, you can enter the state of mental clarity without the set-up of mediation. Leaving you with the ability to completely throw away any anxious thought that comes about after some time. Meditation just forces you to do nothing else whilst you learn how to do this.
“Your brain chemistry will begin to balance itself as your cortisol (stress hormone) levels begin to lower and your serotonin and endorphin (feel good hormone) levels begin to rise “
The process is rather straightforward, just sit or lay yourself down comfortable and begin to do nothing. Focus on your breathing and allow your mind to be. It will likely jump from thought to thought, it’s okay. Just allow yourself to become aware whenever you’ve trailed off and gently, but firmly, without getting upset or judging yourself, return your focus to the breath.
You then repeat this final step again the next time you lose focus momentarily, and then again, and again—this is the exact skill you are developing. Remember, of course, only to meditate when you can be left undisturbed and do not plan to be driving or using heavy machinery shortly after.
How Do I Meditate?
• Sit or lay down in a comfortable position, somewhere where you can rest and sit peacefully.
• Bring your attention to your breath, and aim to breathe comfortably and naturally whilst putting in the effort to deepen and slow the breathing.
• Remain focused only on the breath. If you realise you’ve trailed off on thought, just focus back on to the breathing as you realise and continue to meditate.
• Avoid the urge to itch, cough or move in any other way if something comes up, most things fade as you turn your attention back the breath.
• If an urge persists after refocusing onto the breath, allow yourself to itch or to cough etc. Then bring the focus back to your breath.
• Continue to do so as long as you feel comfortable. Once you feel like you have had enough, slowly bring your attention back to your body and prepare yourself mentally to come back to reality and slowly open your eyes.
It’s a good idea to note how long you meditated for and see how the time grows with each continued attempt. You’ll soon be pleasantly surprised to realise how different time begins to pass in comparison to when you’re awake and moving about. It’s also a good idea to try a guided meditation track if you are having trouble at first as they often guide you into the process which you can then do yourself the next time you wish to. Calming and ambient music can also be an extremely beneficial addition.