We always see lifestyle gurus on Instagram preaching about meditation. Unlike most things Instagram influencers suggest, meditation is actually good for you. When I was younger, my parents used to make me meditate at least once a week. Today, I meditate at least ten minutes a day every day. It clears my mind and alleviates any anxiety I have. Meditation is really simple, but some people still have a hard time starting. Here are the steps I follow to achieve a true meditative state:
- Prepare to focus
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Find a quiet, calming space and put some soothing music on. Spotify has a meditation playlist that I used to use a lot. Some people need music to concentrate if they have trouble sitting still and need something outside of their brain to focus on. Try to just stick to instrumental music. If you really have trouble focusing, you can use a guided meditation. These can be found on Youtube or you could download an app. This is completely optional and you can work up to just meditating to silence.
- Get a crystal or some incense
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Again, this step is completely optional. I usually meditate with a crystal such as quartz or amethyst. It helps me focus if I have something tangible in front of me. Sometimes I use incense because it smells really nice and helps me get in the mood. Crystals and incense are supposed to help cleanse you. If you don’t believe in all that, just skip this step.
- Actually meditate
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Get in a comfortable position. You can sit on a chair or the floor. Bow your head and focus on your breathing and nothing else. If you start thinking about anything else, gently refocus yourself. The goal is to be aware of your surroundings but have a still mind, like you’re in between being awake and asleep. Set a timer for as long as you think you can go.
- Recover
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I don’t like to get right back to my everyday tasks after meditating. I like to reintroduce my brain to the active world. So, I usually gently stretch and reflect. I think about what made me anxious before meditating and see if I feel better about it. If I don’t feel better, I think about what I can do to make myself feel calmer.
Meditation will have positive effects after just one session. It really improved my mental health. I recommend you at least try doing it once a week. The benefits of meditation are totally worth the ten minutes I spend on it every day.