Meditation Can Make All The Difference
In the incredibly busy world we live in we are always doing something, e-mailing, reading, analysing, cooking, nagging the kids, paying bills, wondering how on earth you’re going to get through the job list for the day….our minds are very active and unfortunately this often dulls the opportunity to be present and enjoy the moment.
When our mind whizzes away, we get stressed. When we don’t know how to deal with that we become distorted and are no longer present in how we live – everyone just gets busy and accepts that as life, but it isn’t how it needs to be.
People deal with stress in different ways too which often impacts the family unit as they might bury themselves into work, become angry, drink too much alcohol or take other medications just to try to deal with it. A Harvard University study actually found that 47% of the time our minds are lost in thought and the majority of these thoughts are negative or unhappy! I’m sure you’d agree that is no way to live your life!
Mindfulness Meditation is about stepping back from your thinking and experiencing the present moment. It’s about learning how to live in the here and now – it enables you to see the thought clearly – without judgment but with a relaxed focused mind – this method actually allows thoughts to come and go without being distracted. It isn’t about controlling your mind, it’s about stepping back and realising what it is that is bothering you – step back and to see that things aren’t always as they appear and see clearly in a different perspective.
Practicing meditation also doesn’t mean you have to succumb to the stereotypes – you don’t have to sit on the floor and you don’t need to burn incense. To get started, get comfortable and try to do nothing for 10 minutes – not reminiscing about the past or thinking about the future, focus on your breathing and try to clear your mind.
The practice isn’t easy, and there are classes around to get you started. If it definitely isn’t for you then exercise can be another way to be in a meditative state – swimming laps or long distance running have been very effective means and the majority of yoga classes focus on some relaxation and meditation at the end of their class.
However you find a way to do it, I recommend it. By being present we can change the way we experience things in our life, give ourselves a greater sense of focus, calm and clarity and start enjoying more from life.
Stay healthy!
Aaron Shedlock
Limitless Health