HEALTH

 

Meditation can be totally liberating and relaxing when you’re lost in your breath and the calm of it all. But when you’re squirming in your seat and fluttering with tons of distracting thoughts? Not so much. In fact, that’s pretty much the opposite of relaxing.

Everyone has their off days, or times when they’re more jittery and on edge. But for some people, those days come a lot more frequently and get in the way of *a lot* of things, especially meditation. But if meditation is supposed to be beneficial for everyone, how can those more antsy people make that time less aggravating? Less of a chore, and more of something to look forward to?

Start small.
It’s a process—some people may have an easier time relaxing than others, but no one is completely still and focused *all* the time. Regardless, everyone has to start somewhere. So, for the girls who can’t sit still, that might mean only spending 3-5 minutes of quiet time at first, and then working your way up to 10-15, once the experience becomes a bit easier.

Work with your thoughts. 
Instead of developing the mentality that thinking about anything during meditation is bad, try to tell yourself that noticing your thoughts is okay, as long as you don’t allow them to completely take over. In other words, acknowledge your thoughts and allow them to be there, but then let them fade away and try to come back to your breath. That’s the best way to quiet your mind. Don’t beat yourself up for thinking. What good does that do?

Set the scene.
Surroundings are everything. As much as the whole candles and blanket thing may seem like a cliche aesthetic choice, decorating your space in a way that best calms you down really does do the trick. So track down some nice smelling candles and incense, and really make the space your own. It’s so worth it, trust.

Do you meditate? Let us know your top tips below! 

by Maggie Medoff | 7/23/2017