It is undeniable that in the contemporary society, one faces numerous sources of stress and anxiety. Constant notifications, emails, social networks exhaust and overwhelm the person. However, adding meditation to one’s everyday schedule will improve not only physical but also mental and emotional state of a person significantly.
Benefits of Daily Meditation
Regular meditation is associated with numerous health benefits for the organism of a person. First and foremost, practicing meditation is able to minimize stress and anxiety in one’s life and boost the immune system. Regular meditation is known to lower anxiety and depression symptoms by 30 percent due to the calming effect it produces on the organism and decrease in levels of stress hormones such as cortisol (1).
Creating a Daily Meditation Routine
Creating a routine of meditation is not difficult at all. For example, one may take 5 to 10 minutes each day to meditate. There exist several ways to meditate: one may use a guided meditation app (for example, Headspace or Calm) to meditate, as well as just focus his or her attention on breathing.
Tips for Creating a Meditation Routine
– Start small and gradually increase the number of minutes for meditation;
– Be consistent – try to meditate at the same time each day to create a habit;
– Choose a suitable space which should be distraction-free;
– Use a guided meditation app or other resources.
Mindfulness Meditation Techniques
Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to obtain a calm and concentrated mind. This technique implies concentrating the attention of a person on the present moment to observe thoughts and feelings without judging them. Meditating in a mindful manner decreases stress and anxiety, enhances concentration and increases self-awareness.
Mindfulness Meditation Exercises
– Body scan – paying attention to the certain parts of the body starting with toes and going up to the head;
– Focus on breathing by concentrating on how the air moves inside the nose;
– Focus on the steps while walking and paying attention to breathing and moving.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
This type of meditation makes people develop their feelings of kindness not only towards others but also themselves. People usually concentrate on phrases which express their desire for happiness and good health for themselves and others (“May I be happy, may I be healthy, may I be at peace”). Loving-Kindness meditation is known to decrease stress and anxiety, improve personal relationships, as well as boost self-esteem.
Guided Meditation for Beginners
Guided meditation is a good solution for people who want to practice meditation but have no clue of how to do this. Guided meditation includes listening to the relaxing voice which guides people during the whole process of meditation. One should practice meditation using various guided meditation apps or CDs.
Benefits of Guided Meditation
– Decreases stress and anxiety;
– Helps to concentrate and focus;
– Helps one understand himself or herself better.
Overcoming Meditation Obstacles
Though meditation is an excellent source of relaxation, calmness and concentration, it still has some obstacles. One obstacle might be inability to concentrate and silence the mind. At first, it might be rather hard to do so since thoughts rush in the mind constantly. Nevertheless, with enough practice and patience, one learns how to meditate successfully.
Tips for Meditation Success
– Don’t hurry to make the whole process perfect – it needs time to establish a meditation habit;
– Do not be frustrated – it is absolutely normal for the mind to keep racing while meditating – one just needs to notice the thoughts and pay attention to breathing again;
– Be regular.
Conclusion
Establishing a daily habit of meditation will benefit one’s emotional and psychological condition. Mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation techniques can help a person to minimize stress, calm oneself and become focused. All in all, one needs to find a quiet place, be consistent and patient while meditating.
