Welcome to Transformation Nation with Aisha Damasch How to meditate?
When I started to meditate it took me a while to figure out which form of meditation worked best for me.
But what's really important when starting meditation for the first time is to try and find a meditation practice that feels comfortable and is doable for you.
The easiest type of meditation to follow is a guided meditation.
That literally means when a teacher talks you through the process and you simply listen to the sound of their voice as they guide you through the practice.
There are many different types of guided practices available as a starter for 10,
But one of my favourites is a lovely breathing meditation.
It simply focuses on breathing in and out in a relaxed state,
But the possibilities are endless.
Perhaps the most important thing to do is ensure you are in a comfortable place,
Ideally in a space where you will not be disturbed during your practice.
New meditators will often fidget whilst trying to sit still and spend so much time in their heads that the slightest distraction can throw them off course.
So a nice quiet place,
Certainly in the beginning,
Is absolutely crucial.
Next you need to sit or lie down to practice.
Let's not beat around the bush here if you never meditated before the first time is going to be tricky.
You'll probably ask yourself a whole manner of questions like whether you're doing it right,
What you should be feeling,
Whether you are meditating or just sitting still.
Whatever goes through your mind,
Just allow it to pass.
The trick here is to witness the thoughts like clouds drifting across the sky.
Just let them go and don't beat yourself up about how well you are doing.
Trust me,
This gets so much easier in time.
The purpose of meditation is not to punish oneself for not being perfect.
Rather,
It is about training us to become aware of the sensations that permeate us,
Such as the sound of breathing,
Our heartbeat and the movements of our body.
Learning to meditate requires repetition and patience,
Not only for beginners but for all of us.
Even us seasoned meditators need to practice.
And in all honesty,
It simply takes practice,
Practice and more practice.
I joke it's called a practice for a reason,
Because that's what we have to do every day.
But the benefits to doing this are phenomenal.
Meditation touches a large part of our thinking and is generally something we do regularly with time allocated to this practice,
Ideally daily.
You can read more about the benefits of meditation to improve sleep and reduce stress in my meditation guide on my website.
Think of it as a form of training and learn to focus your attention back on the present,
Which helps you develop a stronger sense of concentration,
Calm and awareness in your everyday life.
An alternative meditation,
Which is another simple practice,
Is a focus meditation.
You simply start by sitting still,
Sitting with your eyes fixed on the point of your eyebrows and let your thoughts and sensations rise and fall while you sit still and feel them.
You can do this for a moment or longer,
It's entirely up to you.
When you start meditating,
Start with a few minutes and then ideally build up to about 10 minutes a day.
Meditation is a great way to feel calm and happy and to improve the overall health of the brain and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety.
It is so powerful.
It has truly been a life changer for me.
It's helped me deal with stress,
Anxiety,
Depression and even burnout.
It's why I now teach meditation worldwide.
And if you're a beginner to meditation,
I would suggest just grabbing a really simple breathing meditation to start off with.
You need nothing fancy,
No white clothes,
Mountain tops or candles,
Just you,
Your mobile device and a comfy seat.
I look forward to connecting with you in your practice.
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