A Gentle Guide to Practicing Meditation and Mindfulness
It’s that amazing betwixt time in spring when the temperature can creep into the twenties during the day, but, if you wake up with the sun, you can find the land still covered in a sheet of frost.
The birds in their droves are singing and chattering and squabbling as if in unison; a collective celebration of the end of winter.
And new life everywhere. Lambs. Bunnies. Buds bursting open and blossom on the trees.
Have you noticed?
To see all this you could hardly believe that the human contingent of this world is confronting such turmoil.
But, as with the transition between the seasons, it’s bringing change; and we are being called to meet with it.
It is easy (and understandable) to find our present situation; our living conditions, the new pressures of daily life, the frightening news; overwhelming. Now more than ever, we need to dig in deep and find the solid ground within.
One of the ways to reach that part of yourself is through meditation.
Meditation is a totally unique, totally personal practice, and so your experience of it will differ from someone else’s, as it will also differ from day to day. The reasons people meditate are many and varied; your neighbour may use it for relaxation, your child’s teacher may use it to ponder life questions, your accountant may use it to get in touch with source / god / angels / the universe / whatever works for him. One day you might have an other-worldly cosmic experience, the next day all you can do is think about how much you don’t want to cook, again.
What I have found to be true is that no matter your motivations or style of your practice, life is better with meditation.
Especially now.
So what is meditation?
In essence meditation is about achieving a state of present moment awareness, even if just for a glimpsing second. It involves a quietening of the mind that allows our concerns to float away, and brings us into present-moment sync with our body, soul, and all that is bigger than us. We can enter into a perspective-inducing space that, crucially for the time, is safe; out of our thinking mind and into a stillness that offers deep relaxation, healing, guidance, ideas, contentment and even joy.
Sounds blissful, huh?!
The reality is that this is not a state that is always easy to find; our busy minds are the symptom of the lives we lead and all the pressures we face. However, one of the selling points of spirituality is that there is no right or wrong; everything is perfect as it is and you are exactly where you need to be.
So when you realise that you’ve spent your practice contemplating your umpteenth Zoom call of the day instead of zenning out, do not judge or reprimand yourself; you are still turning up for YOU. And the benefits of this are vast.
The many benefits of meditation
There are numerous physiological, psychological and spiritual benefits to mediation. Here are just a few:
Meditation will help quiet the anxious, over-thinking mind and actively relieves stress.
It teaches you to consciously catch, halt and reverse spiralling thoughts and balance negative emotions.
It reduces physical pain and enhances the immune system.
It decreases muscle tension and lowers blood pressure.
It improves concentration and focus.
It can help relieve a sense of emptiness and aloneness, and allows you to more actively and openly engage with relationships.
It cultivates compassion and loving-kindness; for yourself and others.
In present moment awareness, the answers you’ve been looking for can find their way to you.
You can get in touch with your true nature; your authentic, Wild Self.
Consistency and practice, as with anything, makes all the difference. It will help deepen your experience and the benefits quickly become far-reaching, felt not just when you are meditating but throughout your life. You will start to notice subtle shifts in how you interact with the world and how you behave within relationships. You will gain perspective and awareness, and become able to make healthy, conscious, choices, with an ability to stop, breathe and consider before you act or respond in any given situation.
It will never ever be perfect; and neither should it be. Is life? At that very basic level, it is teaching us to simply turn up and go with the flow.
How to practice meditation and mindfulness
If you can cultivate a daily practice you are giving yourself a tremendous, change-making, gift. Make it a ritual, time for YOU. If it feels like a chore, shake it up; keep it light.
Find a time and place that works for you; before everyone else gets up, in the garden, during your hour’s exercise, in the shower even. Choose a time and a spot that can be sacred. I find early morning works well for me, before the demands of the day have crept in and I feel more free. Equally, drifting off at night to soothing meditation music takes zero effort and is an easy win.
Make yourself comfortable, settle in.
Meditation often involves sitting in stillness, but a mindfulness experience can also be achieved in any situation that brings about complete present moment awareness. Step outside for fifteen minutes, put your face in the sun and consciously connect with your breath. Mindfully feel your feet on the ground and the fresh air on your skin when you take your evening walk, and bring yourself back when you drift off in thought. Engage and activate all your senses. Be so very present with them.
Don’t close your eyes if you don’t want to. Commune with a plant, gaze at a tree, bask in the magnificent sky. Lose yourself in music you love ~ any music. It doesn’t have to be soft and willowy, it can be banging and impossible not to move to. Dance meditatively! This is your’s. No right or wrong; just purely and simply what feels good to you as the unique individual you are.
There are many different forms of meditation and many places you can find the work of amazing teachers and guides for free. Insight Timer, Calm and Head Space are all popular apps. You Tube also has a plethora of guided meditations, visualisations, music and sleep stories. Some will float your boat, others won’t. Go on a voyage of discovery and find what works for you.
But start today. Stop for a moment when you can. Listen. Take notice.. of the world around you, and, even more importantly, that beautiful world within you.