While meditation sounds intimidating, it’s not. It’s a fairly simple approach to training your mind to quiet and remain in the moment rather than always racing ahead. Taking a little time each day to sit silently has amazing benefits, including gaining a new perspective on a stressful situation, upping your game when it comes to creativity, and improving your sleep. To get started, take a look at our list – we have outlined the basics of developing a daily meditation practice you’ll want to keep.
Commit to Sit
Sometimes just committing to sit quietly in a cozy corner of your apartment is all it takes to jump-start your meditation practice. No fancy mats, pillows, or bolsters are needed. Simply commit to five minutes a day to sit and contemplate the present moment. The secret to your success is finding a comfortable chair or position – seated on the floor, laying on your back, or supported by pillows in your bed.
Tune Out to Tune In
Once you’ve found a place to meditate, close your eyes and start to listen to the sounds around you. All you have to do is listen – you don’t have to guess where they are coming from, assign an emotion like annoying or too loud to them, or figure out what the sound is. Just listen. Do you notice that the mechanical sounds of your day start to disappear as you hear your breath, or a bird singing, or your cat purring.
Continue focusing on the moment and then simply notice how you feel. Do you feel happier, lighter, and more relaxed? Chances are – even after a few minutes – you do.
Follow Your Breath
An uncomplicated way to meditate is to follow your breath. Listen to the depth of your inhale and your exhale. Trace how it enters your body – in through the nose, down your throat, and into your lungs and then follow your breath as it exits your body. This focused attention on your inhale and your exhale is calming and is a simple way to bring your concentration to the present moment.
Practice Kindness
By relaxing your body and mind through meditation, you are practicing kindness to yourself and everyone else you come in contact with. With meditation, your life is put into perspective and what’s most important to you is easier to identify and understand. Plus, when you feel good about yourself, your life, and your day, you are more apt to be patient and kind to everyone you cross paths with.
At Olympus, we believe in finding ways to be better and do better. For more wellness tips, check out our blog.