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Get Happy: 30 Day Challenge
 
Day 9: Meditate

One of the best antidotes to our busy lives is taking a few minutes out of each day to be still.  Meditation is a way of reconnecting with yourself, feeling grounded and teaches us to be more aware of the present moment.  Those that know me know this is one of my favourite things, my one thing that I try and do every day and responsible for so many of my life improvements. 

 

I’m not talking about becoming a monk or nun, having to buy a cushion and light incense.  I’m talking about taking a few minutes to be still today, to stop, breathe, calm your mind and reconnect with yourself.

 

From my experience this is the single most important tool I’ve learned throughout my life.  For managing set backs, dealing with emotions, staying calm amid chaos, knowing who I am and what I want and having a clear, sharp, focused mind.

 

You can start by sitting with a straight (but not rigid) back in a quiet place away from distractions and gently closing your eyes.  Take a few deep breaths and relax, listen to the sounds around you and notice how you feel.  Notice the breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils.  You can sit on a chair with a straight back or sit on the floor.  It is helpful to have a cushion under you if you sit on the floor, as this tilts your hips forward slightly and allows the spine to remain straight and relaxed.

 

Some people find it helpful to count the breaths from 1 to 10 and then begin again at 1, other people simply keep their focus on the sensation of the breath entering and leaving the nostrils.  Some people find it easier to use soothing music but some find this distracting and prefer total silence.  You can also use imagery to assist, a peaceful beach or forest etc.  There are many types of meditation as you begin to expand your practice, it pays to try a few to find what suits you best.

 

Thoughts will come into your mind, and at first it may be difficult to quiet the mind but this will get easier with practice.  You’ll notice the period between thoughts arising will extend and you’ll get glimpses of a perfectly still mind, this makes it all worthwhile.  Rather than being frustrated that your mind has wandered (again), be pleased that you have noticed and bring it back to the task in hand.  The mind will wander, its job is to have thoughts, it’s important to be patient and kind to yourself and simply bring back the attention to the meditation each time you find you’ve wandered off. 

 

During the early days I remember thinking; my mind is just so busy I can’t imagine a time it’ll ever be still even for a second but sure enough nano seconds of stillness appeared between the rampage of thoughts and over time those seconds of stillness between thoughts become more frequent and lasted longer.  Think of your mind as being like the sky, perfectly blue and the thoughts like clouds passing through the sky, they come and go but the blue sky is always there.  The thoughts are passing through your mind, you are observing them but not being carried away by them.  One of the most important skills to learn is not attaching to thoughts.  Think of your mind like a body of water.  Sometimes there are ripples in water but it settles to calmness, and when muddy water settles the sediment sinks to the bottom and clarity appears.

 

Meditation isn’t about zoning out but concentrating and focusing.  It takes practice and persistence.  To start with 10 minutes a day is fine and it helps to make it the same time of the day so it becomes part of your routine.  Then build up as you want to or stick with 10 minutes if that works with your routine.  The key is little and often for the benefits, everyday or as near to it as you can.  I find it best first thing in the morning as it’s quiet and still and it’s an opportunity to set the tone for the day, but you may prefer to do it last thing at night.  The important thing is to find a time you can keep to so it becomes part of your routine.  It may be a time when the house is quiet and you’ll not be disturbed.  Find a place in the house or down the road in the park if that’s better.  This can become your meditation space, the place you can find peace.  If you designate space at home you may like to make it more meditative by placing a cushion and a candle there to help get you in the mood and signal to yourself it is time to meditate.  Everyone has different rituals and preferences, there is no right or wrong, find what works for you.

 

It won’t change your life in a day but it will probably change your day so if we do it everyday maybe it will change your life after all?  See how you feel, it’s simple and effective but like everything takes practice.  You wouldn’t lift a 30kg weight on your first training session at the gym and the brain is no different, we have to train it to become strong and so far we’ve trained our minds to be such busy chaotic places it’s not surprising that being still takes some time, we need to undo the busyness to access the stillness but with practice that happens.

 

Want to take it further?  Find a local group to learn with, read a book or download an app [headspace.com is good] to help you learn and find my free meditation for beginners download

 
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