How To Start A Meditation Practice
Meditation can seem "woo-woo" or a little far out. However it has become a key ingredient to the success of many moguls, CEOs, and corporate presidents. Yogis and crunchy whole foods shoppers aren't the only ones hitting the meditation pillow these days. The benefits have become widely known as more and more scientific research and studies are being published. A few wildly successful leaders who reportedly meditate daily are- Arianna Huffington, Joe Rogan, Russell Simmons, Oprah Winfrey, Marc Beinoff, and Bill Gates.
Since meditation has become more mainstream, you now have access to tons of tools and options to begin your practice. There are many types of meditation you can practice, and I will briefly go over a few of the most popular choices. Apps like Calm and HeadSpace are a great place to start, as they are guided.
Guided meditation is a great way to get comfortable sitting and breathing quietly. You can find a ton of free guided meditations on YouTube. I have a few you can check out here! Deepak Chopra has 21-day themed meditation bundles you can purchase and follow along. You can check those out here. Starting out with guided meditation can be the easiest way to work into a meditation practice. It's far less intimidating than just sitting cross legged in silence without any direction.
Mantra Meditation is where you use a word or phrase to focus on. A mantra can be your intention as well. Sanskrit mantras are very popular to use and can have a nice sound to them. Examples are: Aham Prema- which means "I am Love". So Hum- which means "I am". Om Shanti Om- which means "I am Peace". A single word is also great to use as a mantra. Peace, love, forgiveness, compassion, gratitude, grace, serenity, and presence are all great words you can use as a mantra. As you meditate you silently repeat your mantra as you slowly breathe in and out. If your mind drifts, just gently bring it back to your mantra.
Breath-work Meditation which is also sometimes referred to as mindfulness meditation, is where you keep your focus on your breath while you sit. The technique can be as simple as just following and paying attention to each inhale and exhale. Or you can explore different techniques like alternate nostril breathing, or multi-part inhale or exhale breathing. Counting to 5 as you breathe in and then holding for 5 and then counting for 5 as you exhale.
Stillness meditation- Sitting in a comfortable position and just allowing your mind to keep coming back to stillness. Each time your mind wanders off, you draw your attention back to the present moment. The stillness. This type of meditation can be daunting for beginners who fear their monkey mind will never ease. I assure you, this does get easier over time!
Whatever style of meditation you chose, you'll reap some tremendous benefits no matter what! Meditation helps lower cortisol levels which reduces stress. Aids in regulating emotions. Reduce stress. Enhances self awareness. Decreases inflammation. Reduces symptoms of depression. Improves sleep. And reduces chronic pain.
So whatever method and for however long you’re able. I 100% encourage you to hit the meditation pillow and give one of these practices a try!
-Rachael Lynn