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Planning Your Daily Meditation

Katy Perry says she starts her day with Transcendental Meditation. Madonna can be seen with her foot behind her head practicing meditative yoga. Lena Dunham claims that all Type A women, she included, could benefit from meditation. Clint Eastwood says he’s been using Transcendental Meditation for almost 40 years. Talk show gurus Ellen DeGeneres and the great Oprah Winfrey both swear by meditation and, if that isn’t reason enough to start practicing your daily mantras, the lovely Nicole Kidman uses the meditation app on her phone that shows her a map of all the people who are meditating at the same time.

Meditation is a practice which involves self-regulation of the mind. It is used to ease high blood pressure and to combat depression and anxiety. It is known to improve the quality of life and health and help you make better choices. Here are some ways to work meditation into your day.

1. Find A Place Where You Can Meditate Regularly
Find a quiet spot and place a chair or meditation cushion there. Create a peaceful atmosphere that recalls the sacred purpose of meditation. You may choose to make an altar with flowers or sacred images.

2. Pick A Regular Time To Practice
If you love mornings, you might consider meditation before breakfast, schedule permitting. If you prefer evenings or have more time at night, try to meditate then. Start by sitting ten to twenty minutes a day and gradually increase the length of time and the number of sittings.

3. Pick A Posture
You want to be able to sit erectly without stiffness. Plant your body firmly and let your hands rest. Your eyes should be gently closed and your heart rate should be slow. Feel your body consciously releasing tension and let go of your thoughts.

4. Concentrate On Your Breathing
Take a few breaths to try and find the place from where you breath most easily. Feel the sensations of your breathing like the movement of your chest and belly. Relax with each breath, feeling the air entering and exiting your nose and throat.

5. Allow Your Mind To Wander
Your mind may slip away for a while. Allow yourself to return to the next breath and think about where you have been. You may want to use a word to name to yourself where you have been, such as “wandering” or “thinking” and say it to yourself silently. When you become more accustomed to meditation, you may be able to train your brain to return to the place it has been, but until that is possible, just use the word of acknowledgment and return on the next breath.

6. Sit, Letting Your Breath Change Rhythm
Relax into the rhythm of your breath allowing it to change from short to long, fast to slow, easy to rough. Concentrate gently.

As you progress, you should notice it will be easier to center and calm yourself. Meditation is a journey that needs to be ridden out, with some days more peaceful than others. If you stick with it, you will find that concentration on breathing helps to calm your mind and body.

Woman meditating outdoors

Meditate to Improve Your Game

For some, meditation seems far-fetched and not a smart way to spend free time throughout one’s day. But research shows that meditation is a great way to spiritually and emotionally complete certain areas in life that one might feel are lacking. Once someone tries meditation, they instantly become aware of all the benefits that it offers, including the following.

Starts Day Off On the Right Foot
Spending just five minutes meditating each morning before beginning the day can have a lasting and positive effect that lasts the entire day. By mentally preparing for what activities and commitments are planned and increasing awareness for what may happen unexpectedly, it becomes easier to focus on the good and avoid the bad.

Promotes Positivity
Meditation allows someone uninterrupted time to focus on the good and positive in their life. By expressing gratitude and avoiding self-pity, life instantly takes on a more positive light. The Universe tends to give back what it receives. If negative energy is constantly emitted from someone, they can only expect negative energy to return. But with meditation, it becomes nearly impossible to not emit positive energy, therefore encouraging the return of positive energy from the universe.

Increase Self Confidence
When someone is able to begin to view the entire world in a most positive light, they are able to do the same with themselves. Increased self-confidence begins a positive domino effect that can completely change someone’s life path. For example, increased self-confidence can help to spark a new relationship, encourage the start of a new career or enable someone the power to embrace new and exciting opportunities.

Reduce Anxiety
Anxiety is a serious condition that can suddenly affect anyone. Increased levels of anxiety lead to increased levels of stress, which not only take away from someone’s overall quality of life but can also lead to some serious health conditions. Meditation can help to stop anxiety before it creeps up on the brain and body, preventing the unwanted side effects that go along with an already undesired condition. Imagine finally taking control of anxiety with just a few minutes of meditation at the start and end of each day.

Woman meditating

Encourages a Healthier Lifestyle
When someone begins to incorporate meditation into their daily routines, it becomes easier to make healthier decisions. For example, meditating before breakfast will most likely lead someone to choose fruit and oatmeal instead of a doughnut. It encourages healthy eating, exercise and the avoidance of toxic substances.

Slows Aging
Studies have shown that meditation can literally slow down the aging process by changing the way the brain controls aging. As already mentioned, meditation helps to remove stress and negativity from daily life, which can also have a positive effect on appearance.
There are many different types of meditation. Finding one that fits into someone’s lifestyle and meets their needs is crucial but not difficult. With plenty of informational resources available, one can begin to experience the impressive benefits of meditation in only a few days. As with many types of health treatments, consistency is key, along with the true belief that meditation can change life paths for the better.

There are many different types of meditation. Finding one that fits into someone’s lifestyle and meets their needs is crucial but not difficult. With plenty of informational resources available, one can begin to experience the impressive benefits of meditation in only a few days. As with many types of health treatments, consistency is key, along with the true belief that meditation can change life paths for the better.

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