It is well known and affirmed worldwide that if you meditate the right way, it can do wonders for your mental health as well as physical wellbeing. Studies have proven that 10 minutes of meditation daily can considerably boost your mood, improve your attitude as well as your overall quality of life.
Reading all the wonderful benefits of this practice, I started doing meditation. Initially, I did it for 4-5 days, but then I just simply gave up. I was not seeing any change in my mood whatsoever, plus meditating just brought up more thoughts. My mind always wandered and I could not focus on my breathing, however hard I tried.
But, at the same time, I heard stories about how daily meditation changed the lives of so many people. Something was amiss. Maybe I was doing something wrong, maybe there is a specific time or a technique to meditate. I researched about it and this is what I came to know :
Mastering Meditation Takes Time
Meditation is as simple as it could be and as challenging as it could get. You think that you just have to sit for a couple of minutes, focus on your breathing and bam, you are done. But, what we do not know is focusing for even 2 minutes is a great deal of effort. Mind wanders, random thoughts creep in and you get restless. You cannot be a pro at meditating from day one. No one is. It is a technique that gets better only with practice. It can take a couple of weeks or even months to meditate the right way.
I would suggest starting slow. You can begin with 5 minute meditation and then keep increasing your time gradually, maybe every week. This will allow you to build a habit without much effort. All you need to remember is, it is absolutely fine if your mind wanders every few seconds in the initial few days; it is going to get better. And when it does, including meditation in your routine is going to be the best decision you ever made.
There Is An Hour For Everyone
It is commonly believed that morning is the best time to meditate – less distraction and quieter surroundings. However, it is not absolutely true. It might work for the majority of people, but not for all. Maybe you meditate more peacefully before you go to bed; it even helps you sleep better. Or you can get a boost in those energy levels by meditating or exercising at work. Simply put, there is no hard and fast rule as to when you should meditate. Meditation can be done at any time and at any place provided you are all into it, there are no distractions around you and you are getting the maximum benefit out of it. Just figure out the time that works best for you and make it a habit to meditate during that hour, no matter what.
It Is More Than Just Breathing Exercises
In the majority of guided meditation apps, they guide you to focus only on your breathing while meditating. Truth be told, it does get boring and mundane at times. Meditation is all about focus; you just need to focus on one thing and leave out all the rest. It could be your breaths or a sound or an object. I like meditating to calm sounds; it is an instant mood and energy booster plus it never gets mundane.
Apart from these exercises, there are several mindful practices or guided meditation practices that address a specific area of concern. You can find mindfulness meditation that can help you with anxiety, better sleep, self care, self love and lots more. It is that little dose of positivity you would need when nothing is going your way or you are simply feeling low.
The right way to meditate is to start. Start slow, start gradual, take your time, but start. It might take you many attempts to become perfect at the art of meditation, but it will be all worth it!