Want to try mindfulness meditation but you don't know where to start? Discover 5 ways to create daily mindfulness habits & enjoy all benefits of meditation now!
1. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION - STEP No.1: KEEP IT CREATIVE
Set an intention that will motivate you and remind why are you meditating, such as: "This meditation is making me able to tolerate difficult people in my life…" Choose an image, a colour, a photo that represents your intention. Come back to this image whenever your mind slips back into the ‘busy’ mode either during your meditation or any of your daily tasks. Make it a ‘gate’ that grants access to that place of calm in your mind.
2. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION - STEP No.2: SET UP A "SACRED SPACE"
You can meditate just about anywhere. The more you’re used to meditating, the less the environment matters. A quiet place in nature? Great. A seat on the busy train during the rush hour? Even better! But in the beginning, make the space where you meditate feel special. Set up a corner of your bedroom or living room by playing some relaxing meditation music, placing a yoga mat, a meditation cushion, and add things that make you feel inspired and alive - a scented candle, a beautiful crystal, a pebble, a seashell, a feather, a plant, a little Buddha or meditation beads around your neck. Allow yourself to be supported, inspired, and nourished by the energy of the space during your meditation.
3. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION - STEP No.3: SEND YOUR INNER CRITIC ON A BREAK
We are used to criticising ourselves, which is very useful when it helps us improve, make better choices, decisions, and move things forward. And yet for the time of your mindfulness meditation, it’s important to send your inner critic on a break. For this occasion, invite your inner observer instead. Watch the inside of your head like you’re watching a movie. Step back and set ours on a journey of seeing the content of your head from a completely different perspective. It can be mind-blowing!
4. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION - STEP No.4: BEING NOT DOING
When you simply observe yourself without the compulsion of making decisions about your every single thought or emotion and labelling it ‘good’ or ‘bad’, you access the area of your subconscious mind. Be careful here, you may encounter the source of endless creativity, joy and light, but you also may encounter deeply rooted fears, anxiety, traumas. You’ll need to work through those before you dive deeper. Sometimes, the help of a therapist or a spiritual coach is necessary. We are so used to DOING not BEING, that encountering our subconscious which is nothing but pure BEING can be shocking, scary and intimidating. Keep practising BEING not DOING, and be gentle with yourself. Don’t hesitate to ask for help whenever needed.
5. MINDFULNESS MEDITATION - STEP No.5: BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Whatever is going on in your meditation journey, it’s okay! Be kind to yourself even if the road is bumpy. Even if you think you’re not doing so well. Stay kind and loving, because that’s what you truly are and that’s also what you truly deserve. Remember, all mindfulness meditation traditions speak of connecting the mind and the heart. You can find it helpful to place hands of your chest and breathe deeply into your heart in order to connect with a place of compassion, love and joy that sometimes gets ignored and forgotten in a world where we need to fight, confront and protect in order to survive. But don't you believe deep in your heart that it's love that will save the world?
We hope you feel a little more inspired to try adding meditation into your daily life. It may feel challenging at the beginning, but we bet you'll soon enjoy all the benefits of mindfulness meditation and live a more present and happier life!
