The Beginners Guide to Meditation
A Beginners Guide to Meditation
When you think about meditation does the image conjure to your mind the person sitting and breathing and stopping all their thoughts and focusing on their breathing and here and now and they reach a level of euphoria that is mind blowing. For some that can be a true image of what meditation and being mindful in the moment can look like. That does not mean that it can be for everyone. For some meditation and mindfulness can be just about slowing your minds racing thoughts so that you can focus on what you need to focus clearly. For some the goal is to stop intrusive thoughts from controlling them and allowing them the time to release anxiety and fully relax.
When you are able to focus your mind and breathe you can be able to get down to the real essence of what you are thinking and feeling, allowing your thoughts to take shape. You are taking time to get in touch with your thoughts, feelings, needs and wants.
When you take time to focus on you, you have more time to focus on others is a key take away that should be at the forefront in my opinion when one is thinking about starting meditation.
Below is a body scan meditation for you to practice:
Settle into a comfortable position, so you feel relaxed. Make sure your body is fully supported.
Close your eyes if you wish or leave them open with a soft gaze, try not focus on anything.
Rest and pay attention to the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Once your body and mind are settled, bring awareness to your body as a whole. Be aware of your body resting and being supported by the chair, mattress, or floor.
Begin to focus your attention on different parts of your body. You can spotlight one particular area or go through a sequence like this: toes, feet (sole, heel, top of foot), through the legs, pelvis, abdomen, lower back, upper back, chest shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck, different parts of the face, and head.
For each part of the body, linger for a few moments and notice the different sensations as you focus.
The moment you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention to the part of the body you last remember.
Once you go through your whole body take a few minutes to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Slowly pull your body back to the present.
While this is only one way of taking time to re-align and focus on your breathing and slow your thoughts, you can gain more skills by seeing a therapist. They can help you align your thoughts and feelings and process your feelings after a body scan and or before.
Once again, taking time out to meditate is not a selfish act. It is a self-love act that you do so that you can be present for your love ones and yourself.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or take the place of medical advice or take the place of care you receive from your health care professional.
