Have you ever noticed how easy it is to get caught up in all of the stress and tension of our busy lives? How there isn’t enough time or energy to get through everything you need to do?
I’ve been attempting to find new ways to handle everything going on for a few weeks and have found a few things that work. Even though these things can help, there are always more ways to settle our tension. One technique I have been working with and recently discovered is meditation.
Meditation uses mindfulness techniques to increase our awareness, attention, and wellbeing. Whether you have one minute, an hour, or even just your walk to the bus stop, mindfulness can be used to release the anxiety or tension running through your mind.
Before beginning my journey with the practice of being present in my body and mind, I questioned it. I thought it would be hard to commit to because of my busy schedule, and also hard to focus when there is so much going on. Regardless of this I was told to stick to it because the benefits would eventually emerge.
I began with guided meditations, and each time my mind wandered to a project or assignment I slowly pushed past the thought and focused on my breath. I noticed that it decreased the worry rushing through my mind and instead brought me into the present moment. If you want to get started with meditation, check out this app called Headspace.
I also attempted going to yoga classes and realized how closely yoga and mindfulness are interconnected. Mindfulness allows us to take a step back from everything and experience our lives in the moment. It brings peace to our minds and the chaos going on in our lives. Mindfulness helps us to shift our perspective from future-based to living in the present, and another way to do this is to notice our connection to the world in this moment.
Whether we are walking outside or sitting in a café we are connecting with the universe. As we walk on the street our feet connect with the ground with every step, and as we sit on a chair outside a coffee shop, we are feeling our connection through that chair, our feet resting on the ground, and our eyes wandering around us to look at our environment. Our lives can become very busy; however, the art of meditation and mindfulness can allow us to take a moment to ourselves and take a step back.