Meditation What, When, and How to do it?

How to start meditating

You’ve probably heard it before. 

You should start meditating!

It’s a sentence that’s said quite a lot these days and for a good reason. We lead very stressful lives, and many of us walk around, struggling from both mini and rather large traumas that are greatly impacting our day-to-day lives, whether we’re aware of it or not.

But many people don’t know where to start, and it’s a common misconception that meditation is just for stress relief, though that can be a positive side effect when one practices meditation.

So let’s dive into what meditation actually is, why you should start, and how to actually get going!

What is meditation?

Now, let’s clear this up. Meditation is not sitting on a pillow for hours and chanting OMMMMMMat the top of your lungs. 

It does require you to sit still and sit still with your thoughts. Essentially, meditation is a technique one can use to achieve a greater sense of mindfulness, and emotional stability, and to stop being in the passenger seat of your own body and mind. Meditation teaches you how to finally regain control of your thoughts, stop operating from your subconscious mind, and start finally consciously choosing how you respond, think, and act with great ease.

Why meditate?

Well, apart from regaining control of your life, there are many great benefits to adopting a practice of meditation.

It can, indeed, reduce stress levels and symptoms caused by a stress-triggered medical condition. 

It can also be effective in reducing chronic pain. In one study that included 3,500 participants, those who created a habit out of meditating daily had fewer complaints of chronic and intermittent pain than those who did not daily sit on their pillow (metaphorically speaking). 

Meditation is also a great way to improve sleep. One study found that those who meditate fall asleep sooner and stay asleep longer than those who do not meditate. 

But there are a few other benefits as well. Studies are now showing that when you practice meditation daily and habitually, you can actually begin to shift the molecular structure of DNA that is responsible for poor health and mental illnesses. You see, what meditation does is it strengthens the mind-body connection, helping you to harness a greater awareness of what is going on inside your body and inside your mind, two operating systems that at times feel like they’ve both gone rogue. 

With meditation, you can then start to unravel why you act the way you do, and why you feel the way you do, and ultimately start to shift in a direction that feels better. A direction that you actually want to go in. 

When you practice meditation consistently, these are some of the benefits you may reap. 

Okay, that’s great and all…but can I actually do this? And if I can…how?

Well, in short, yes, yes you can do this. I don’t mean to sound like the little engine that could, but I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds. At first, it will feel like pulling teeth. But then you find your groove.

Coming from experience, I was resistant to meditation for years. I thought I didn’t need it because my exercise and my running were my stillness, which in part was true. Running and working out does wonder for your mentality and teach you a lot about resilience. But there’s a lot to learn from mindfully sitting still. 

 That takes a bit of effort at first. We’re all very good at sitting still to watch our favorite TV show, read a book, or listen to someone speak, but we oftentimes don’t give ourselves that same respect and attention throughout the day that you give your favorite zone-out pastimes. Meditation teaches you how to respect yourself and give yourself the attention that you undeniably give externals hourly and daily. 

It’s going to feel really uncomfortable at first; at least it does for most people. But then you have a breakthrough and realize you can keep going. I sometimes like to compare it to when you hit a runner’s high or that feeling you get when you can push through a set. It feels super uncomfortable leading up to that point, but then all of the sudden you get a rush of strength and endurance, and you push through to the final part. That’s sort of what happens during meditation. 

But don’t expect that you’ll become the Buddha in the first sitting. It takes a lot to work up to even 30 minutes of meditation, especially if you’re not used to sitting with your thoughts at first. That alone takes some practice in accepting all that your unconscious mind streams through your head and into your cells every single day. Only then can you move past those thoughts and into better thoughts, once you’ve reached the acceptance phase. 

To start, try sitting still for 5 minutes. You don’t need to sit on a cushion; you can even just sit in your desk chair, straighten your back and rest your arms where they feel comfortable. Begin to notice parts of your physical body, and place your attention on your breath. You can do only this or you can adopt a mantra, such as “Let go” or “I am” that you just keep repeating in your thoughts to help you detach from the other thoughts floating by. 

Gradually increase the time you spend meditating…maybe 20 minutes, or 30. Eventually, you can get to an hour or maybe even two!

Another important part of meditating is being consistent. Like with anything, the more you do it, the better at it you get. Choose a time of day that you can consistently take for yourself: whether that’s first thing in the morning, right before you go to sleep, during your lunch break, or another time. The most optimal times are right before you go to sleep and right after you wake up, as that is when your brain is entering the theta brain wave state.

The point of meditation is to do it as long as it’s serving you. It doesn’t mean that it will be comfortable (and don’t place any judgment on your meditation- there is no right or wrong way to do it, so you don’t need to add a layer of the ego mind to judge yourself if you get caught in a not so great feeling thought pattern). But it will help you to become more mindful throughout your day.

You can do guided meditations, meditate to just music, or meditate in silence- it really is up to you!

A few great resources include:

·     Insight Timer, which is an app that you can download for free onto your phone. This app contains thousands of free guided meditations and music, including nature music, guided meditations for weight loss, guided meditations for sleep, and more. 

·     Dr. Joe Dispenza, who is a NY Times best-selling author of several books, including You Are the Placebo, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and Becoming Supernatural. If you check out his website, he has plenty of meditations that go along with his books. They are on the longer side (45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes), but well worth the time commitment. 

·     Dr. Sue Morter, who recently wrote a book titled The Energy Codes. She has many meditations available on her website as well.

·     Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey usually host a free 30-day meditation course that includes free 15-20 minute daily meditations every few months. Check Deepak Chopra’s website for more information.

·     Meditative Mind on YouTubehas hours of free meditation music. 

·     Aaron Doughty on YouTube has several free-guided meditations.

·     Headspace, another great app that you can download onto your phone with guided meditations.

·     Calm, contains both guided meditations and meditation music for free and for in-app purchases.

Remember, like everything, meditation takes practice. But consistency can greatly impact your day-to-day life in a positive and more mindful way.