I was going back and forth today about if I should wait to write about meditation another day since I feel like I have mentioned it a few times on how beneficial it is for me. Meditating daily has been a nice treat to look forward to when other things at times are out of my control.

To understand yourself and be in tune with you, mediation can really help with so many great things.  We are in this space right now in our world, where we’re being fed all these not so great stories that subconsciously affects parts of who we are, especially when we get higher doses of these not so great things and really don’t have the means at times to really deal with it. Being able to mediate, helps you take control of your world. You get to be still for as long as you would like, you learn to let things go, you learn that you are much more than the things that occur in your life and just learn how you can create calmness, awareness and mindfulness within you at all times even in the midst of all that is going on around you.

“Truly it really just makes you sit your butt down to calm your nerves, you know you need that so let it work its magic.”

Funny story, maybe not funny at the time but looking back at it today, it was.  Yesterday, my thoughts were just racing for some reason, I knew that it was time to meditate but I just wanted to be in my head and continue to think what I was thinking. There was no solution I was coming up with, it’s just I was choosing to be on edge and continue these thoughts. I think that is something we all can be guilty of at times, not taking a step back to recognize what we’re doing, how we’re making the situation worse and thinking of a healthy solution to get us back on track. That is what meditation is helping me with

With meditation, you want to make sure you do what works best for you. There are several techniques and I wanted to share a few.

• Movement Mediation:Instead of having to sit still, this form of mediation is about moving your body, building up energy within you while still creating the stillness in your mind. Yes, you’re moving but in gaining control of the situation for you, it’s being mindful of this energy you’re creating and recognizing your bodily sensations.
• Focused meditation: There are times when we can’t fully clear our minds like we would during a meditation session. Utilizing focused mediation can help with allowing your mind to be able to focus on one thing. Whatever that one thing is, doesn’t quite matter, it’s just about being able to keep your awareness of this thing and any sensation it provides in that moment, from maybe the color or the smell of something, it’s just being able to focus on something that can help with keeping you present in the moment. Also, you’re able to focus on your breathing, if you don’t have an object in sight. If your mind shifts, its ok, just work your way back to what you’re focusing on and continue with your meditation.
• Transcendental meditation: Also known as TM, is being able to reach a deeper state of relaxation through a silent mantra, that is repeated in the mind. It’s been said it’s the most natural and it’s basically allowing yourself to reach a level of peace as your body and mind naturally flow into this calm state.
• Mindfulness meditation:This is what I have been practicing lately. Being aware of the present moment and being able to stay in this space. The thoughts that arise are just thoughts in this moment, no need to judge but the focus is creating a sense of calm regardless of what’s going on around me. It’s being able to accept that things could be occurring, but I can still be in this space of not feeding into anything but being present in what I’m doing and that’s creating a space of stillness.
• Mantra meditation:Being able to repeat a word or phrase, has powerful implications due to the vibrations and sounds that your body can take in during this act. It has been said to have healing powers and also can help with being intentional about how you want to be in the moment and continue for the rest of the day. Having a phrase or word that you incorporate into your psyche, helps with what you may choose to focus on. That one phrase or word can be a nice way to calm your thoughts down and shift your attention in moments where you need to be still and allow the things going on around you to happen but staying grounded for a bit.

To gain a better understanding, its practicing different ones to see what you’re comfortable with. Some days may be better than other, but it starts with trying it in some way to create that sense of peace that we all really need. I have been able to take myself out of stressful situations to create a mindset of calmness because I’ve learned not all things need your energy. The more energy you give things that don’t matter the more it takes you away from gaining that sense of control of how you act, feel and think about situations

Few things to keep in mind if you start.

• Create a space to meditate
• Schedule time to do it
• Choose a posture that works for you
• Build up on the amount of time you give to meditation
• Be patient with yourself
• Have fun with it

How will you create your sense of calmness today?