Daily meditation: 7 ways to make it a habit

This is an automatically translated article.

Many studies have found that daily meditation can provide many health benefits from preventing age-related decline in brain structure, increasing memory and regulating your mood to slowing down the process of aging. aging process, reduce chronic inflammation and enhance autologous immunity. Here are 7 simple ways you can start and maintain a healthy meditation practice and make it a daily habit.

1. How to start a daily meditation practice

There is little reason to ignore the powerful effects of meditation. Anyone interested in health probably knows that meditation can bring enormous benefits. Dozens of scientific studies have shown that regular meditation increases resilience, reduces stress, reduces anxiety and depression, and improves overall health. And meditation makes us less irritable, more beautiful-minded people.
So how can you start meditating daily. Here are a few tips you need to start - and maintain - a life-changing practice.

1.1. Comfortable

A comfortable seat is the starting point for all meditation practices. Meditation cushions are great, but folding blankets, meditation benches, hard pillows or pillows aren't too bad either. If you're sitting on the floor, make sure your hips are at least 6cm above your knees. This will help keep your spine straight and reduce discomfort in your knees. If you need back support, sit against a wall or use a chair, do not cross your legs and place both feet on the floor.

1.2. Choose the right time and place

As we all know the process of human development since childhood is very focused on forming habits. Therefore, it is better to practice meditation at the same time and place every day.
Practice meditation first thing in the morning if you can, because all the analytical regions of our brain are not active at this time. Don't check your phone or turn on any electronic devices before meditating, so you can maintain the mental stillness you get during the night.

1.3. Sit tall

Imagine yourself sitting on a throne. Lengthen the spine so that it feels as far as possible from the coccyx to the top of the head. This helps maintain alertness and enhances energy flow. When we sit upright, the respiratory system works better, the heart opens and the spine is in good alignment.

1.4. Slow start

A slow start is essential. Ten minutes of meditation a day is a great start. If that's too much time, spending five minutes in meditation a day is also a good option. It's certainly not too long a time to have a big impact on our work.

1.5. Please really take care of yourself

Most of us are battling with conflicting thoughts inside our brains. However, this inner struggle is neither right nor wrong - it's just the nature of the mind. To calm these things, we need to work towards creating more and more neutrality when meditating. A great place to practice a more neutral attitude towards yourself. When you start to blame yourself for not meditating "right," just breathe, relax, and smile.

1.6. Find a meditation buddy

If possible, find a group of people with similar interests in meditation to share their experiences with before undertaking meditation exercises. There are plenty of social media groups for meditators with online meditation challenges and local meditation pursuits groups where you can find support on your journey. me. These communities give us the opportunity to talk about our challenges and share ways to make it easier to start meditating.

1.7. Write a meditation diary

Experts in the field of meditation recommend that we keep a journal to keep track of our own experiences. Jot down a word or two about your meditation session. There is no need to analyze or explain anything; Just note down how you feel after meditating. This recording will show your meditation as well as your mind - how it really changes over time. Even if you still feel uncomfortable, anxious and depressed, your notebook will prove that you know how to sit down and relax to forget it all.

1.8. Focus on your breathing

Take a few deep breaths while sitting in meditation. Breathe through your chest first. Then slowly bring the breath down to the abdomen. This is where experts recommend practitioners use to breathe. This conscious transformation of the breath is something we can do anytime, anywhere, to move into a more meditative state.

2. 7 ways to make meditation a habit

Have you ever tried to pick up a new habit or practice a new skill? You may soon realize that daily practice is the key to success. And the same is true of meditation. "It's important to meditate every day because you're trying to form a habit," explains Sadie Bingham, a clinical social worker specializing in anxiety in Gig Harbor, Washington. Sadie herself is a longtime meditator. “Most people won't notice the immediate positive effects that you need to practice every day to start feeling the change,” she adds. Still doubting if you can make meditation a part of your life routine? It's entirely possible, and the following seven tips can help.

2.1. Light start

While daily meditation is a great goal, we don't have to do it for 30 minutes (or longer) every day. Bingham recommends that beginners start with five minutes of guided meditation, three times a week, and slowly increase the number of minutes as meditation becomes a consistent part of your routine. At first, you may not feel very alert and calm. You may not feel relaxed at all. But do not worry. Just make it a goal to take five minutes to think. Be curious about them, but don't force yourself to do them.

2.2. Find the right time

You will find that different sources suggest different “ideal” times to meditate. But in reality, our ideal time is whenever we can make our meditation effective. If we try to force ourselves to meditate at a time that doesn't fit our schedule and responsibilities, we'll only frustrate ourselves and won't be motivated to continue.

2.3. Be comfortable

Many of us have probably seen pictures of a person meditating in a classical pose. But that position is not comfortable for everyone, especially for those with physical problems. Fortunately, we don't have to be in a certain position to meditate successfully. Instead, just get into a position where you feel most comfortable and natural. Sit in a chair, lie down on the bed - both are perfectly fine. "Comfort is far more important than 'looking like you're meditating'," says Bingham.
If you have trouble sitting still, try meditating while walking or standing. Some people find that focusing on each step takes the meditation a step further, much like focusing on the breath. Also, consider creating a relaxing, soothing meditation space or even arranging rituals around the process. Incorporating candles, peaceful music, or photos and mementos of loved ones can all help enhance meditation.

2.4. Please be patient

It takes time to form a new habit, so don't worry if meditation doesn't seem to work for you at first. Instead of looking for reasons why we can't continue, let's see the difficulties we are facing with curiosity and an open mind. The challenges we face during meditation can guide us to a more successful practice.
Bingham explains, learning how to practice acceptance and curiosity in meditation can help practitioners translate these emotions into their daily lives. This can help us have an easier time cultivating awareness of a meditation habit.

2.5. Know When Meditation Doesn't Work

We may not notice the benefits of meditation right away. That's perfectly normal. And no matter how long you've been practicing, your mind can still lose focus over time. That is also normal. Neither of these means that you can't be successful with meditation. Realizing when our minds are distracted is actually a good thing — it means you're developing awareness. When this happens, gently refocus yourself. With a steady practice of meditation, you'll usually start to notice benefits in time. That said, it's important to recognize when meditation does more harm than good.
Although meditation helps reduce mental health symptoms for many people, not everyone finds it helpful, even with regular practice. Although not so common, it has been suggested that regular meditation increases feelings of depression, anxiety or panic. If constant meditation makes you feel uncomfortable, you may need guidance from your therapist before continuing.

2.6. Using a meditation app on a smartphone

When in doubt about your ability to meditate, remember your smartphone. Today, there are apps for almost everything, and meditation is no exception. Apps, many of which are free, can help get us started with guided meditations, Bingham recommends for beginners. “A guided meditation can help bring your mind back to the present moment,” she explains. Some popular guided meditation apps include Calm, Headspace, and Ten Percent Happier.

2.7. Start meditating

Here's a simple meditation to get us started:
Find a comfortable place to relax. Set a timer for three to five minutes. Start by focusing on your own breathing. Notice how each inhalation and exhalation feels. Breathe slowly and deeply in a way that feels natural. As soon as our thoughts become distracted, notice the thoughts that come to them, let them pass, and return to focusing on the breath. Don't worry if this continues to happen. When the time is up, open your eyes. Pay attention to your surroundings, your body, your emotions. You may feel different, you may not. But over time, you may find yourself becoming more mindful of your own experiences and your surroundings. These feelings will linger long after you complete the meditation. There is no right or wrong way to meditate. We have the most success when we practice in a way that works for us, so don't hesitate to try different methods until you find the one that works best for you. As you begin to notice greater compassion, peace, joy, and acceptance in your life, you will understand, meditation has taken its toll. Just have to be patient, as these benefits may not appear overnight. Remember to express yourself with curiosity and an open mind, we will always be on the right track to success.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference sources: experiencelife.com, healthline.com, chopra.com