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I don’t know about you ladies, but my mind can get rowdy! I’m talking about two A.M. frat party rowdy or super bowl half-time show rowdy. It can be quite disrespectful, especially if I’m trying to sleep or focus on a task. My mind always chooses the most inconvenient time to make to-do lists, plan events, ruminate over a past conversation, or worry about my son’s future. I struggled with this for so long that at one point, it became debilitating. I would end up sitting and thinking all day instead of getting things done. That’s when I turned to meditation.
What is Meditation?
There is a lot of information out there on meditation, and if you do a Google search on meditation, you could get lost for days. Pyschology Today defines meditation as “a mental exercise that trains attention and awareness. Its purpose is often to curb reactivity to one’s negative thoughts and feelings, which, though they may be disturbing and upsetting and hijack attention from moment to moment, are invariably fleeting.”
During meditation, I focus on breathing and visualization. There are many types of meditation styles, but I prefer guided meditation, where someone walks me through from beginning to end. Some people find this distracting and prefer music or nature sounds. I am currently using an app that helps my mind improve flow. Flow is a state of mind where a person can be fully absorbed in their activity. You may have different goals for your meditation time. Decide on what your mental and emotional needs are, and go from there.
Who can Meditate?
When you think of meditation, do you picture Buddhist Monks somewhere in Tibet? Well, it’s not just for them anymore!
Meditation works for people of all ages and genders, but this is definitely beneficial for us women. We sometimes carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, and meditation allows us to release that weight even if only for a few minutes.
I wanted to share a testimonial about meditation from my friend Tina. She is the one who introduced me to meditation, and for that, I am grateful.
“Meditation helped save me. At first, I found it very hard to try and quiet my mind or even sit still. I found that my mind was acting like a broken record, and all of my worries, stressors, chores, boys, thoughts of body image, family, and other things would race through my head over and over again. I couldn’t sit quietly for even a minute.
I tried sitting or laying down on my bed. I found that I would just fall asleep. Then I tried laying on the floor, and I did not fall asleep. As my ability to meditate improved, I moved to sit on my couch. My legs were crisscrossed, and my hands were on my knees. If you can’t sit in that position, then sit in a regular position. Nothing should hurt while meditating.
Meditation was something that helped me tremendously. I was in a depressed state of mind when I first started meditating. Meditation is like anything that you do. You have to continue to do it. You do not have to do it for hours on end. No one has time for that. Start with a minute, then work to meditate longer if you have the time. Give yourself time and practice to get the hang of it. It will not happen overnight. You’ve got this!”
-Tina
Meditation Resources
There are many resources available to you if you are beginning this journey.
- Google “Meditation”, and you will find articles, and YouTube videos. (Free)
- Podcasts (Free)
- Books and Apps for phones and tablets (varying prices)
Meditation is a Practice
This has been said before in the above paragraphs, but I want to reiterate this point. Meditation is a practice. It is something that you may not do perfectly every time. It is very normal to have your mind race during this time. It’s not used to being quiet. Be kind and gentle with yourself. Let the thoughts come, notice them, and gently send them away. It is normal that you may get sleepy. Find a space and position that is comfortable yet will keep you alert. Meditation is the practice of adjusting and finding what’s right for you. In the end, you will thank yourself for tending to this part of your wellness.
Beautiful!!! Meditation can be a powerful tool to use in yourself worth journey!! I feel that meditation can free us from all our life’s stresses!! You gave some great tips on starting slow with one minute, two minutes etc… We all can use that meditation time to search ourselves and to release anything that can hindrance us from being our best selfs!!
Thank you, and thank you for your insight!