Why don’t we all integrate meditation into our lives more?
Meditation is engaging in mental exercise, like concentration on breathing or repetition of a mantra, in order to reach a heightened level of spiritual awareness. Many people believe that meditation is calming and beneficial for stress levels and mental health.
Having struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life has left me struggling to find ways to cope in simple, everyday ways. I decided to give meditation a try because it seemed somewhat helpful.
On Monday, I was a bit nervous about finding a relaxing space to meditate in with no interruptions, but I decided I’d figure it out after I got home from class.
After I got home from my long day, I meditated for the first time. I ended up just doing it in my room after letting my roommates know what I was doing.
I sat on my bedroom floor with my legs crisscrossed and closed my eyes. I just focused on my breathing in and out and making sure to take deep breaths for about 10 minutes.
At first, it was awkward sitting in silence without my phone or another activity. Being alone with my thoughts was very different when doing nothing but breathing.
On Tuesday, I started meditating after I went to the gym. I came home tired from a good workout and then took a shower and meditated afterward. This time I put on my oil diffuser to add an extra layer of aromatherapy.
Meditation felt extra relaxing because of how much energy I got out at the gym. I sat and did the same thing I did the day before and focused on my breathing.
Wednesday ended up going the same way. I once again meditated after the gym, with essential oils becoming a part of my routine.
As Thursday came around, I wanted to try something a little bit different. Thursday was a busy workday for me so I knew that I would need this meditation time to destress and take my mind off of the mountain of assignments I needed to do.
I ended up holding my thumb on one nostril and switching to the other, like I’d done the one time I had meditated before this experience. I remembered this being relaxing, and that it would help me focus even more on getting those deep, relaxing breaths that were much needed.
After meditating on Thursday, I saw a pretty big difference in how I felt for the next few hours.
Friday was the same as Thursday, but it also was harder to figure out when to meditate that day due to social plans with friends. I ended up meditating right before bed, and I had a solid sleep.
Once the weekend hit, I decided to officially try meditating in the morning. I woke up and meditated both Saturday and Sunday morning.
After meditating I started each day off with a relaxed and less hectic headspace and I surprisingly wasn’t tired after. I noticed that Saturday and Sunday both ended up being all about relaxing and I didn’t feel the mounds of anxiety I usually feel on weekends.
The whole week was extremely beneficial for my mental health. I think, more than anything, carving out some time just to actively relax is what makes meditation great. Having this experience has made me want to incorporate meditation into my life more often.