When beginning my meditation journey, I grew extremely impatient as I waited to reach that point of enlightenment. I used to think that it would just come to me, but I was faced with the harsh reality that mediation only occurs after a lot of determination and practice. At first it can be frustrating, sitting in a quiet room trying to force your thoughts to go away. However, once you manage to master the art of it, you will find it is incredibly rewarding and will lead you to live a more mindful life.
1. Meditation taught me to take things slow. Sitting down for at least ten minutes each day teaches you to appreciate what is right in front of you. It allows you to realize that not everything comes to you at once. You must be patient and grateful for what you have right now, and eventually, everything you desire will arrive. I am a naturally impatient person, so this technique was probably the hardest to master. Once you reflect on what is happening at the moment, you register that you can wait for other things to happen. Just take it one step at a time.
2. It taught me to appreciate every moment. Meditation allows you to reflect on all of your thoughts and feelings. One of the key elements of this is to focus on the present and exhale your emotions towards the past or future. If you remind yourself this throughout your practice, you will begin to see beneficial results. In order to live in that moment through meditation, allow yourself to become aware of your surroundings, such as your breath, what you see, what you hear, etc. This has allowed me to not only use it through my exercise but in my daily life.
3. It taught me to accept my thoughts. Bad thoughts are going to arise throughout your meditation and daily life. It is essential to understand these thoughts and gently try to replace them with a better one. If you try to get rid of these thoughts altogether, you are distracting yourself from your path. Be accepting of these feelings because everyone has them. It’s inevitable.
4. It also taught me to just breathe. Our body, for the most part, breathes on its own. We often never put effort into our breaths, as it is just second nature to us. However, one of my favorite exercises during meditation is to focus on my breathing. Is it hot? Cold? How do I feel when I exhale? How does my body feel when I take a deep breath? Believe it or not, this will make you appreciate the art of breathing much more, and you will find yourself lucky you have the privilege to breathe.
5. Lastly, meditation taught me to keep a meditation routine. You will never accomplish true meditation if you do not keep a routine. They say you should practice it at the same time every day. Mine works best right before I go to bed, so I get a good night’s sleep and wake up rejuvenated. However, it is different for everyone. If you manage to keep track of your journey, you will become exponentially better at the practice.
[Cover Image courtesy of Huffington Post. Images courtesy of Pinterest and Mojo Multiplier]