Amidst all that stress surrounding our everyday lives, we find our minds flooded with a thousand different thoughts. It gets crazy beyond belief. It’s a regular occurrence in our everyday lives. The uncertainties of life, with its unpredictable ups and downs, can take a serious toll on our bodies and minds. Stress inevitably follows weight gain and turns all your weight loss goals and lifestyle choices upside down.
One way to deal with chronic stress and constant weight gain is practicing meditation. A few moments of peace and solitude is all you need to drastically reduce the ills destroying your life. However, you don’t have to be experienced in meditation to reap its innumerable benefits, beginners can do the same too. A few simple steps and you are all set for a healthy and stress free life. Follow these 6 Simple Steps: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation and say goodbye to your stress forever.
1. Sit comfortably
We are all aware of the perfect meditation posture, having come across it in movies and heath related books and magazines. If you are not acquainted with it, here it is: sitting cross-legged on the ground with your back tall and hands by your sides. You can sit anywhere you want. All that matters is you straight and comfortably.
2. Steady breathing
After going into a comfortable position, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Do not force yourself on this, just focus on the deep steady breathing, filling you lungs with air and exhaling gradually. Focus on the inhalation and exhalation process. After a few minutes, this will have a soothing effect on your mind and body.
3. Relax your body
Turn the focus on your body when your breathing becomes constant and steady. Start with your toes, while focusing your attention one body part at a time, all the while relaxing each and every muscle. Work up your way to your head. Here, care should be taken to give special attention to the shoulders, neck, mouth and eyes, as these are the most stress prone areas.
4. Establish a Mantra
Mantras are words or phrases which are repeated in succession during a mediation session and are an important part of any meditative practice. Believed to bring about a soothing and relaxing effect on the mind and body, it enables you to focus your attention on one object. When you feel your breath become stable and the muscles free of tension, start repeating a phrase repeatedly. For a beginner, a simple mantra would be, “I’m breathing in, and I’m breathing out”.
5. Calm your mind
The mind, with constant focus on the breath and mantra, should calm down. However, even after regular practice, you may notice certain unwanted thoughts entering your mind. Some days may be more hectic than others. There is no need to worry though. It happens to be the most advanced of practitioners. Just focus on your thoughts, and when unwanted thoughts enter your minds, simply put them aside and continue to focus on your mantra and breathing.
6. Ending your practice
The duration of one meditation session entirely depends on you. As you continue to get comfortable with the entire process, you can increase its length. As a beginner, you should set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Gradually, add more time once you get comfortable with the practice. When you come to the end of your session, begin by gradually becoming aware of your surroundings and the feelings in your body. Acknowledge your presence in the space and start wriggling your fingers and toes. Take a few more deep breaths and slowly open your eyes.
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