Do you meditate? Have you tried? It’s much simpler than you might think. As with many things, people tend to see obstacles in their way. Some people say they have tried and “failed.” Other people say they don’t know how to meditate. Then other people say they don’t have time to meditate. Do any of these apply to you? If so, hopefully, this post will help you remove some of those obstacles to meditation.
Benefits of Meditation
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have undoubtedly heard about the many benefits of meditation. Here is a short list:
- reduced stress level
- increased focus and attention
- improved mental health
- better sleep
- less emotional reactivity
- greater self-awareness
- more access to creativity and insight
- the list goes on, and on, and on…
Meditation in 4 Simple Steps
When I first started meditating, I read all the books I could find. I listened to podcasts and watched Youtube videos. I tried many different complicated strategies until I figured out one important thing…just breathe. It’s really that simple. But, for those who like a step-by-step approach, here goes.
- Bring your attention to your breathing: feel the inhale, feel the exhale, repeat.
- Notice that you lost focus on your breathing. Become aware that you are thinking. It doesn’t really matter what you are thinking about. The point is that you are thinking about something besides the inhale and exhale. Don’t worry about it.
- Bring your attention back to your breathing.
- Repeat for whatever amount of time you decided.
It really is that simple. The point is not to sit for 30 minutes in a cross-legged position. You don’t even have to close your eyes. Don’t tell the people I work with, but sometimes I “meditate” during meetings. My eyes are open and I am present, but primarily, I’m focused on my breathing.
The main point is to notice what you are noticing. Become aware of what you are aware of. If you can practice this during meditation, then you can start to become more aware during the rest of the day.
I have used my meditation practice to remain calm in potentially difficult situations. When I start to feel stressed or anxious, I bring my attention to my breathing. It is not magic. It is simply a practice to train your body to shift out of fight-or-flight mode and back into the calm state.
Technology Can Help
For those who are still a little apprehensive, here are a few technology tools that might help. I have tried all of these and still use each of them for different purposes. I primarily use Smiling Mind when working with groups of students. Inner Balance is helpful for getting into a meditative state quickly, especially before a presentation or difficult meeting. Holosync provides the background music for my daily morning meditation.
- Smiling Mind – free app with guided meditations
- Inner Balance – heart rate variability sensor (about $100)
- Holosync – binaural beats audio (free trial, cost for higher levels)
Please Share and Comment
This basic meditation technique will provide you with many of the research-based benefits of meditation. There are more specific and structured styles, which you can learn from books or teachers. If this works for you, then maybe you want to try taking your meditation practice a little deeper.
Give meditation a try and see what you think. Let me know how it goes.
