Meditation is a practice that is becoming increasingly integrated into our mental health . Its benefits are well-known, and when practiced consistently, the results are remarkable. If you don't know how to practice it, we have a technique for learning how to meditate.
For this process to be effective, you should always find a quiet place and set aside a few minutes to disconnect from the outside world. Honestly, you need to focus on yourself and train your mind, which will be beneficial for combating negative thoughts. We encourage you to practice this technique with simple steps that you can easily incorporate into your daily life.
How to learn to meditate?
Meditation is about finding the best moment of relaxation for yourself. It can be difficult at first, as it requires training your brain with patience and tranquility. Disconnect any devices that might interfere with your meditation; for example, turn off or mute your mobile device. It's recommended to start with 5-minute meditations, so you can set a timer or other device to track the duration.
find a quiet place
The first step is to feel comfortable before you begin ; your clothes should also be comfortable. Find a quiet place , generally without distracting noises. Ideally, it should be a room, but some people feel good in nature.
The posture for meditation
Sitting is the most common position people adopt . You can even do it on the edge of the bed. Another position is lying on your back, which is very popular, although there's a risk of falling asleep.
It starts with concentration
You need to start relaxing completely. Begin with your breathing, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. If you focus on your breath, it will be much easier to achieve relaxation. Observe yourself as you do this and mentally scan your body to ensure that every part is completely relaxed. Visualize your head first, then your shoulders, your torso, and finally your feet.
Entering the moment of meditation
We immerse ourselves in relaxation . The idea is to avoid any thoughts that arise and push them away. If you've never reached this point, you'll notice a flood of thoughts that you can't control. The goal is to gain control over them, starting by dodging everything that comes to mind. At first, it's difficult, but as the sessions progress, you'll gain control. The aim is to reach a relaxed state, generally without thinking about anything.
However, there are several ways to meditate ; we encourage you to take a look at the types of meditation you can find:
- Meditation focused on breathing. This is what we have described, with the aim of focusing on breathing to achieve greater concentration and relaxation.
- Mindfulness meditation, This is called mindfulness. It is based on focusing on the present moment, observing thoughts and feelings objectively and without judging them.
- Guided MeditationIt is a type of meditation that is guided by a voice, in some cases with relaxing music.
- Meditation with body scanning. The person relaxes and observes the different parts of his body to release tension.
Guided meditation
Tips for people who are starting to meditate
Sometimes it's difficult to maintain this kind of discipline, but the results over time are exceptional. You should always find a time of day to do it, for example, after lunch, first thing in the morning, or at night before bed. You have to do it every day to maintain this routine.
Starting with 5 minutes is enough . After several weeks, you can increase it to 10 or even 15 minutes. Meditation doesn't have a set time; some people need up to 30 minutes to feel good.
Don't judge yourself or get angry if you can't relax at first. It's very easy to get distracted at the beginning, and it's very common. With time, you'll be able to neutralize your thoughts. The idea is to be able to relax everything that comes to mind, focus on them pleasantly, and know how to neutralize the toxic ones.
Undoubtedly, patience is key, as it's a skill that develops over time. Among its benefits are relaxation, stress reduction, and improved concentration.
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation connects with your body and mind. Many of the problems, insecurities and anxiety have to do with the mind, and meditation specifically helps to relax all these aspects.
- Reduce Stress: With meditation you learn to teach your head to relax, reducing the hormone responsible for stress: cortisol.
- Increase Self-Awareness: helps you get inside your mind to control thoughts, emotions and behavior patterns.
- Improves emotional well-being: By controlling many of the aspects described, we will learn to manage emotions much better, especially negative ones, such as sadness and anxiety.
- Increases concentration and memory: If the mind is calm, these aspects flow with certainty. The ability to concentrate is strengthened, controlling emotions.
- The body also has physical benefits: lowering blood pressure, better controlling or relieving chronic pain, and improving sleep.
Don't look for obstacles, you can always meditate
Beginners often start meditating one day, but then encounter obstacles that prevent them from continuing. We encourage you with some tips that can help you continue:
- "I don't have time." This is the most common phrase. You don't need to spend a lot of time on it, you can just start with 2 to 3 minutes a day and add more time when you can.
- "I can't stop thinking when I'm meditating." It is very common, we cannot stop thinking constantly, but in meditation we can help relax many thoughts that come and spark inside the head.
- "I can't relax, I feel uncomfortable." Try to make yourself more comfortable than you imagined, your whole body should finally be relaxed in all its points.
- "I'm not sure if I'm doing it right." You're probably doing it right when you've completed all the steps. It's hard at first to adjust your body to a new sensation, but with time and practice, you'll get there.
