“When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear.”
– Unknown
In our western society, everyone is always thinking one step ahead. We all have crazy busy schedules and it seems like our days are never long enough to get done everything on our agendas. Stress and tiredness makes us unhappy and frustrated, which can damage ourselves and our relationships. Taking the time to slow down and breath can seriously benefit not only our health, but the world around us. Meditation is a great way to take a break from our schedules to clear the mind to be more focused. Just ten or fifteen minutes out of our day is enough to overcome our stress and and find inner peace and balance.
There are many different forms of meditation: walking meditation, sitting, breathing, and many more. But this page is going to focus primarily on sitting meditation as it is the most popular. The first step is to sit up straight – you really want to find good posture here, but still be comfortable. Crossed-legged works, and you want to make sure that your spine is straight. When our spine is not straight, we are not fully aware of ourselves and our surroundings. A slumped spine means a slumped mind, slow, sluggish, and sleepy.
Next step is to close your eyes and stop the distractions in our lives, to make your mind more clear and lucid. This can be done by breathing slowly, and counting our breaths. Try to get lost in your breath, focusing on that and nothing else. If a thought travels through your mind, accept it, and let it go as easily as it came. If you try to fight thoughts, you may get frustrated and not be able to fully relax. Something I do that helps is think of the ocean waves, going in and out over and over again, like my breaths. The only thing that matters here is your breath. It may be hard as a beginner, trying to silence your thoughts. Most peoples’ brains become even more busy, thinking of everything they need to get done. That’s okay, it takes time to get used to meditating. Just keep patiently bringing your mind back to your breathing.
You can meditate in silence or with music. Most people find it easier to do with soft and relaxing music in the background. When done meditating, you should feel refreshed, relaxed, and happier. This gives us a more positive outlook on life, which will improve relationships with others because you don’t feel as frustrated or annoyed.
When the mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment rises from within. This helps us cope with the busyness and difficulties of our everyday lives. So much of this stress comes from our mind, and many sicknesses can arise from all this stress. It truly takes it’s toll on our health. Meditating for just ten minutes every day can help avoid sickness and stress.
