Meditation
Finding yourself a little stir crazy in these times? You’re not alone. However, being alone might be a good remedy. Think meditation. As little as a few minutes a day has shown to be helpful. Read on for how to get started.
Start in a comfortable position, such as sitting down. Take 3-5 deep breaths. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. This gives us the deepest inhale and exhale. Go slow.
You can start by just counting to 4 or 5 on each inhale and exhale. Do this until you feel like you’ve got a good rhythm.
Are you visual or verbal? Some of us have preferences for getting the most out of meditation.
Verbal forms of meditation are things like words, phrases, or mantras that you would repeat during your meditation. You can start with a simple word of your choice. Some examples are “peace”, “relax”, or anything that is meaningful to you. Phrases can be simple to complex.
Visual forms of meditation include images that are pleasant or calming to you. For example, you might think of yourself in silhouette form. With each inhale, you fill with light and with each exhale, you breathe out darkness. Or perhaps it is imagining yourself gently rocking in a hammock in a place that brings you peace. You can focus on smells, sounds and touch too.
Want to learn more? Check out the Mayo Clinic’s article on meditation here.
