MEDITATION | THE BASICS tips, how to get comfy & what types are available

Meditation can be daunting when you start, or even knowing where to start, so I thought I would give you 5 tips which may make life a little easier.

MY TOP TIPS

1. Don't be surprised that you keep thinking about things. The is a misconception that when you meditate correctly your mind is completely clear with no thoughts etc. This is partly true, when you are totally absorbed sure, but it takes time, practice and a lot of patience to reach that point. Remember the mind is designed to think, it is it's primary function, and the reason we meditate is to gain mastery over the mind. So if you find yourself thinking about shopping lists and to do lists don't beat yourself up, just acknowledge it, don't follow the thought, just let it go.

2. Get comfy! As someone with scoliosis I know how hard it can be to meditate when you are in discomfort. Remove ego from the situation and grab whatever you need to make yourself comfortable.

3. You don't have to be in silence. Meditation is about observing the mind and the thoughts that come up so if having some music on helps remove distractions from external sound go for it!

4. Not all meditation is the same. If simply sitting in silence isn't working for you that's fine. There are lots of styles of meditation, so experiment and find what fits for you.

5. Consistency. It doesn't matter if you can meditate for an hour if you are only doing it once a week/month. Try incorporating whatever style of meditation you are happiest with daily, even if it is only 5 minutes! Building the habit and the commitment is what is important to create change over time.

GETTING COMFY

We all have this expectation (or at least I did) of being able to sit anywhere in absolute stillness. In reality this is just not the case and I am pretty sure I am not the only one!

1. Sitting, firstly you don't have to sit on the ground, if you like take a chair, kneel or even lie down. If lying down try to avoid your bed because we associate our bed with sleep and we don't want to fall asleep during meditation. If you sit on a chair make sure your feet are placed on the floor and your back is upright.

2. Sitting on the floor? Use a cushion or something to sit on, we want our knees to be on the ground not hanging in mid-air. Use any blankets or pillows to make sure you are supported.

3. Still not quite right? Try kneeling, place a big blanket or cushions between your knees and sit on top of it.

4. Easy pose. This is the basic, classic 'meditation pose'. Instead of crossing your legs so your shins rest on your feet, open the hips further so the heels come in line with the groin and centre of the body.

5. Got scoliosis or spinal imbalance? If like me you struggle to sit upright for periods of time without pain in your back starting to creep in, try this trick I learned...prop one bum cheek higher than the other. For example my back curves to the right, that is where my ribs flare and my right hip also sits lower than my left. So I place a little more padding under the right side and voila, hips a little more level and spine a little 'straighter'.

TYPES OF MEDITATION

Struggle to just sit in stillness and silence for now? Too easily distracted? Don't worry all of this is normal, sometimes my mind is very active so here are some other types of meditation that I do instead.

1. Mindful listening. As I sit instead of blocking out sound I try to listen to as much as I can. Don't judge what you can hear, simply observe it. You may hear cars, building works, bird songs etc. As you sink into gently breathing, see if you can notice the layers of sound, the things in the distance or the breeze through leaves on a tree. This is also a great practice if you suffer from anxiety or have episodes where you struggle to self regulate.

2. Pranayama, otherwise known as yogic breathing. There are lots of different types of breathing techniques for different purposes. The benefits are that it gives the mind a point of focus, but also controlling the breath forces your parasympathetic nervous system (stress recovery) to readjust which means you may get the benefits of meditation much quicker! Click Here.

3. Mala meditation/Chanting. Using mala beads, similar to Christian prayer beads, you repeat a mantra, affirmation or breath on each bead. Traditionally there are 108 beads so there is no need for a timer. If you enjoy the chanting aspect of mala meditation you could always play a mantra in the background and chant along! Read More.

4. Tratakam. This is what we know as candle gazing, but some use an image of their guru or deity, you could use a mandala or yantra. But focusing on the subject provides a single point of focus, similar to the mindful listening we talked about earlier.

5. Guided Meditation. There are plenty of free guided meditations available, simply lie back and listen. Listen Here

Hopefully these have helped, feel free to check my YouTube channel for more information and meditations.

Have a beautiful day x