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You don’t have to a Buddhist or a Zen monk to benefit from meditation.
And you don’t need more than 5 minutes to reap the amazing benefits.
If you’ve never meditated before, here’s your chance to learn a life skill that will affect your overall happiness and self-awareness for the rest of your life.
In case you’re wondering, science backs up the use of meditation as a way to build and redirect your attention. In fact, studies suggest that results can be seen in as little as four days.
Benefits of meditation
- Decreases academic stress.
- Increases academic success.
- Control anxiety.
- Increases focus and sharpens your mind.
- Able to calm yourself in stressful moments.
- Improves sleep.
- Increases confidence.
- Better overall mental health.
- Heightened focus.
- Lengthens attention span.
How to meditate
Here I will describe a basic method of mindfulness breathing where you focus your breath, the inhale and the exhale.
For this method, we’ll focus on a process so that it’s easier to make this a regular daily practice for you.
Ideally, you can focus on your breathing anywhere at any time. Eyes opened or closed. When you’re feeling distressed or overwhelmed.
- Find a comfortable and relaxing position.
- Notice your body and relax each part.
- Tune in to your deepening breath.
- Be patient with your wandering mind.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes.
- Check up on yourself.
Master the art of the breath
- Start by taking a few exaggerated breaths. Deeply inhale for 3 seconds through your nose. Hold the breath for 2 seconds. Then exhale long and slow through your mouth for 4 seconds.
- Continue this process, or breath at your own pace, while observing every breath without adjusting it. Focus on the rise and fall of your chest. Feel the sensation of the air passing through your nostrils.
- Unless you’re a meditation guru, your mind will wander. That’s okay. Simply bring your attention back to your breath.
At first 5 minutes can feel like 5 hours. But if you can stick with it and make it a daily practice, there are so many benefits. Aromatherapy can help calm the mind and relieve stress. Below are links to the diffuser and oils I use. I LOVE the orange and lavender.
The body scan
If you’re like me, your brain is happier when it has something to do. One technique I use is called the “body scan”.
After I’ve focused on my breath for several minutes, I start my scan. With each body part I scan, I continue my long, slow breaths.
HEAD I start by focusing on my head for several breaths. I feel the weight of it on my shoulders. I check to see if there’s any pain there. How does it feel behind my eyes?
SHOULDERS Again while breathing deeply, I focus on my shoulders where there is always a lot of stress. Am I shlumped over? Do I need to roll my shoulders back and sit up straight? Sometimes I have to squeeze my shoulder muscles and release (breath out) the stress being held there.
BACK Focusing on my back usually means observing in my mind how the lower back is feeling today. It there pain? It there tension? I work my way up to my mid-back and then up to my scapula. Is my spine straight? Where do I sense tension?
LEGS Continuing to breath in and out, I move on to my legs and feel them attached to my body. Is there pain anywhere? Is there stress? Where is the tension?
I think you get the picture. Move forward slowly and scan any and all body parts, wherever you tend to hold stress in your body. Tighten the associated muscles and breathe out the stress.
SOME OF THE BEST APPS for Mindfulness Meditation
The Mindfulness App (iPhone and Android)
Headspace App (iPhone and Android)
Calm (iPhone and Android)
Sattva (iPhone and Android)
In harmony and peace,
Thanks for stopping by today! Please be sure to share in the comments. I’d love to hear your meditation tips. Don’t forget to click save!
