If you’re looking to practice mindfulness, then making meditation part of your lifestyle can undoubtedly be a great help. However, if you find it hasn’t been working for you, you may be tempted to call the whole effort off. But before you give up on meditation entirely, look to see if these tips below can help you better get in the zone.
By Team Savant
Image: Maryjoy Caballero on Unsplash
Having the Wrong Expectations About Meditation
Crossed legs, closed eyes, and a state of clear-mindedness might all sound familiar, but that’s not necessarily what meditation has to be about for you. Rather, these common meditation myths tend to trip up more people than they help. The goal of meditation isn’t to shut off your brain, but it can help you gain better control of your thoughts by focusing on one thing at a time. Similarly, it’s not a cure-all for anxiety disorders or other mental illnesses, but it can be a helpful tool for managing them.
Ensure that You Have the Right Environment
If you’re able to meditate successfully in any environment, then that is an enviable talent. A lot of people can find it difficult to focus on their breathing and the sensations of the body at rest if, for instance, there are distracting noises or sights around them. Creating a good meditation room should mean doing what you can to shut out the outside world. This means you shouldn’t be surrounded by screens and you should do what you can to block out noise.
Use a Little Natural Help
There’s nothing to stop you from sitting down at any point in any space to start meditating. However, a lot of people do find they can better ignore internal distractions and hone on the focus they need if they take the time to calm and slow down their antsy thoughts. To this end, there are plenty of natural touches that can help, whether that means implementing a little lavender aromatherapy or using CBD oil with a vape pen. In fact, even the ritual of trying to calm yourself can help your body associate them with the practice of meditation, helping it get ready.
Find the Help That You Need
Do you have trouble knowing what to do when you get into position? Tend to forget your breathing exercises or don’t know where to focus your thoughts? In time, you can learn to meditate under your own direction with ease. However, at the start, using guided meditation apps can really help you get to grips with it. Aside from providing directions that you can follow, these apps can also help you create soundscapes that more effectively help you relax and block the outside world.
Lastly, when it comes to meditation, it’s important to be patient. You might not begin to feel the impact of it within the first few sessions. However, as you get used to those moments of calm and your brain associates them with a less anxious and more mindful head, it may become easier to slip into it.