Are you feeling overwhelmed during these challenging times, trying to make some time for you? Consider joining me in meditation.
While meditation isn’t a cure-all, it certainly can provide some much-needed peace in your life — especially during this pandemic. Sometimes, that’s all we need to make better choices.
“How do I mediate?” you ask. It’s easy, and the most important tools you can bring to your meditation practice are a little patience, some kindness for yourself, a comfortable place to sit and YOU — just as you are.
MY TOP FIVE REASONS TO MEDITATE ARE:
- Understanding your pain
- Lowering your stress
- Connecting better with your inner space
- Improving focus
- Reducing brain chatter
HOW TO MEDIATE:
1) Take a seat. Find a place to plant yourself that feels calm and quiet.
2) Set a time limit. If you’re just starting, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes. I use the CALM app that has varied times for meditation.
3) Notice your body. You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, sit loosely cross-legged or kneel—all are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position that you can stay in for a while.
4) Feel your breath. Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and out.
5) Notice when your mind has wandered. Inevitably, your attention will leave your breath and wander elsewhere. When you notice that your mind has drifted, simply return your attention to your breath.
6) Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts in which you find yourself lost. Just come back.
7) Close with kindness. When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze. If your eyes are closed, open them. Take a moment to notice any sounds in the environment. Also notice how your body feels right now, as well as your thoughts and emotions.
Welcome back. What happened? How long was it before your mind wandered away from your breath? Did you notice how busy your mind was even without consciously directing it to think about anything in particular? Did you notice yourself getting caught up in thoughts? We often have little narratives running in our minds that we didn’t choose to put there, like, “Why does my boss want to meet with me tomorrow?” or “I should have gone to the gym yesterday.” Maybe your mind was on your bills or the many things you need to accomplish in a given day.
We practice mindfulness so we can learn how to recognize when our minds are doing their normal, everyday acrobatics and perhaps take a brief pause to choose what we’d like to focus on.
That’s it! That’s the practice. You go away, come back, and try to do it as kindly as possible.
In a nutshell, meditation helps us have a much healthier relationship with ourselves and, by extension, with others. Be kind and take time for you in 2021.
Karol Brandt is an executive host with Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort, as well as co-author of the Amazon best-seller “The Struggle is Real: Finally Break the Dieting Cycle, Transform Your Mind and Body, and Evolve into The Person You Have Always Wanted to Be” and the “30-Day Evolve Challenge Journal.” Contact Brandt by email at karol.brandt@scarletpearlcasino.com, Facebook/ The Struggle Is Real or Instagram at karolbrandtnola
