Mindfulness and Relaxation through Meditation

As someone who is nearly constantly anxious, I know how important it is to take a bit of time to yourself to chill out. I also know that there is no foolproof way to get rid of all of the stress that drags us down throughout our lives. However, not keeping our stress and anxious thoughts in check can lead to health problems like high blood pressure and muscle pains. Even worse, it takes on a snowball effect and can continue to build more stress and anxiety or lead to other mental health concerns like depression. While many different stress-relieving tools exist, I have found one of the most helpful to be meditation.

It is important to note that there is no one right way of meditating and it comes in different types. For example, there is mindfulness meditation, which includes taking notice of your thoughts that occur or what you feel, and just being observant. There is also concentration meditation, which involves focusing all of your energy on a particular thought or idea.

Personally, I prefer the mindfulness meditation because it makes me feel more in tune with myself and the world around me. Perhaps it is summer and I am sitting outside to meditate. I want to take notice of the warmth from the sun, or the faint smell of cut grass, or maybe the thought of what I’ll have for breakfast will pop up in my head. I will consider all of these things as I notice them occurring in my brain, but I don’t try to push any of them out of my head. It’s the most relaxing to me because I do not feel stressed about having to focus on certain tasks or worrying about what I’ll have to do the next day. I can simply notice only what is happening in the present.

Like I said, there is no right way to meditate, but if you’re a beginner and not sure where to start, I suggest at least 20 minute sessions at first. This way there is really enough time to allow your brain to settle for a bit, but if it doesn’t, don’t worry and try again later. If I have the time and feel the desire to, I will meditate once before breakfast and once before dinner. I would at least suggest meditating before breakfast because it sets up a positive and relaxed tone for the rest of your day. Sit in a relaxed position (I prefer loosely crossing my legs) and place your palms either on your knees our facing the sky. If I meditate for a bit after doing yoga, I often end up in “corpse pose”, which is just lying comfortably on your back. Some like to use sounds when meditating, like om, but I always feel more relaxed being silent.

Meditation may seem frustrating to some at first, as it can be difficult to quiet one’s brain, but it’s important to keep telling yourself that you are calm, and to not put any pressure on yourself to relax, because that would just be counterproductive. Also important- keep breathing! Breath can be a great focal point to start out and get you into a more eased or concentrated state of mind.

Happy meditating and stay green!