Meditation is about learning to become present in the moment. Being present in your life and having a calm mind are essential to optimal health. A quiet mind however is not something all of us can make happen automatically. If you’ve never taken the time to meditate or perhaps you are struggling with meditation here are some ways to improve upon this in your life.
The very first and most important thing is to listen and tap into your breathing. Breathe however you feel most comfortable but make sure you are taking deep and full breaths. This will help you to stay in the moment and clear your mind of distractions. A lot of people believe that meditation is about leaving your body, but in actuality it’s about getting into your body and the space between your thoughts and your body. Everything is connected to everything else.
There’s a lot of question as to how much and how long to meditate for. It’s better to set yourself up in the habit to meditate rather than to overdo it some days and not enough on others. If you set yourself up to meditate when you wake up in the morning or whenever works best for you, try and set out to do it every day. When you set up a time to meditate choose a length of time that works for you such as 10 or 15 minutes and gradually work up to an hour or even an hour and a half. The more of a habit this becomes the easier your mind will be able to shut down.
Clear your mind. Take a few minutes before beginning your mediation to think about everything you have going on in your head. Write it down in a journal or electronically, but take five to ten minutes to let yourself work out everything that is distracting you. Let your stream of consciousness flow out. You’ll be much more effective when you let your mind deal with everything that is going on. When you have thoughts of the past and future crowding your mind, you lose the power of intention and your goal of awareness.
A final note, you do not need to bend like a pretzel or be a yoga master in order to position yourself for meditation. The best position is to sit in a chair comfortably. Place your feel on the ground and do not cross your arms or legs, just place your hands open on top of your legs. Sit upright and make sure that you have support for your back. Do not sit or lie down in a place where you may typically relax or sleep as you may drift off to sleep during this exercise.
With these steps you should find it fairly easy to glide into your daily meditation. There are so many good reasons to be meditating. Meditation can assist with blood flow and oxygen consumption, chronic diseases like allergies, reduce pre-menstrual syndrome, help to build your self-confidence and most of all lead to a deeper level of relaxation improving your overall condition. Take a moment, breathe and allow yourself the time to be conscious in your present self.
Joe trains 5 times a week at Bally’s Gym in Orange County. A long-time fitness enthusiast, he recommends that you buy ephedrineand buy ephedrafrom Astronutrition.
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