Meditation is not thinking about nothing, but trying to quiet the mind to focus. I used to think meditation was weird and only for yogis or health nuts. But once you see how it helps you with annoying people, believe me, you will jump on board. If you don’t think you can do it alone, try the app headspace. It works wonders for helping with meditation.

The first thing you want to do is get yourself comfortable in a quiet place where no one will bother you. You can sit in a chair or sit on the floor with crossed legs. Close your eyes and walk through the following steps:

1. Take deep breaths in through your nose then release out of your mouth. 
2. Become aware of how your body is positioned and what your arms and legs are doing. Just really notice the stillness of them and your body. 
3. I like to become aware of the whole body and scan it from the top of my head down to the toes. 
4. Now focus completely on your breathing again. Count up to 10 and back down to 1 slowly. 
5. Now bring your attention back to your body and scan again from your head to your toes. If you mind wanders off, its okay. Try to go back to focusing on your body and your breathing. You can also tell your mind to release the thoughts if you start thinking about what you need to get done today. Just tell yourself release over and over again. 
6. Now open your eyes and see how you feel. You body and mind should be much more relaxed. 

Once you learn this technique you will start to be able to meditate on demand. On a daily basis, our minds are assaulted with so much clutter, so when you meditate, you basically de-clutter the mind. Meditation has been known to lower cortisol, which is the stress hormone that can lead to obsesity and many other heath problems. Studies have also shown that by meditating each day, students are making better grades so many schools are introducing it to students at a younger age.

 I read an article that said when you meditate, it’s like clearing your computer cache, which will lead to more head space. I like that comparison a lot. Let the good ideas flood in. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Originally it was used to help deepen our understanding of mystical forces but now we use it more to help with stressful situations and to calm the mind during hectic day’s. 

Benefits of Meditation 

Lower blood pressure

Helps with physical and mental pain

Sleep better 

Helps with anxiety

Improves long term memory

More confidence and positive attitude

Beneficial to the heart

Improves circulation

How long should you meditate?

The great thing about meditation is you don’t have to do it for hours a day. For a beginner, start out by meditating at least 5 minutes a day 2 or 3x per day. Then you can work your way up to 30 minutes a day. Any amount of time you can meditate will be beneficial. We hope you enjoy the blog and comment below to let us know benefits you have found from your daily meditation.