I’ve been meditating using the Headspace app since around two years, on and off. I never stuck to it on a daily basis, which I do regret, since meditation helps with my overthinking and anxiety.
However, since the last 6 months I’ve tried my best to meditate for at least 5 minutes daily. There have been months when it has taken a back seat due to stress, which is funny because that’s the time when I should have meditated the most.
My early experience with meditation :
I remember going for a yoga class around 5 years ago, where the yoga teacher ended her session with 15 minutes of meditation. I hadn’t meditated before, and so when she said to “close your eyes and stop thinking about anything”, it made me think of everything on the planet.
I overthink, so that wasn’t a surprise, but it made me believe that meditation wasn’t my cup of tea, due to which I never tried it again, in fear of increasing my overthinking.
Headspace :
In 2016, a friend suggested that I try out the Headspace app, and I can’t thank her enough.
Headspace has changed my life drastically and made meditation so much fun, so much so that I look forward to those 15 minutes of daily calm. I also try to practice the meditation techniques in between the day, for a few minutes, every time I get anxious.
I have since realized how wrong that yoga teacher was about meditation, and that it isn’t really about stopping your thoughts, but rather letting them pass on their own.
Here are a few videos on meditation, by Headspace, which really changed my thinking about what meditation really is :
Important things to remember :
1) Approach meditation with a beginner’s mind every day.
2) It isn’t easy to sit still for 5 minutes, let alone 15 minutes. However, as with any new habit, it gets easier with practice.
3) There will be days when you will be able to meditate with ease, and others when you will struggle. Do not give up.
4) Form a habit of meditating when you begin your day, as it will enable you to stay calm during the rest of the day.
5) Incorporate mindfulness in other activities as well, such as eating, reading, listening, etc.
Thank you for reading! Stay blessed!
©TheKindTempest
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash.