We’ve all heard the word mindfulness and know that meditation is the latest buzz these days, but what does being mindful actually mean? Meditation isn’t just sitting in a dark room, crossing your legs, closing your eyes and humming for hours on end. Meditation is a form of mindfulness which helps us escape the present and enter a deeper mental state. It’s a state where we can block out background noise, turn down the chatter in our heads and just be still.
There isn’t a right or a wrong way of meditating, it’s the way you choose to interpret it. Some people work well with loud music, gongs and crystal singing bowls. Others prefer complete silence, whilst some prefer the help of a person to guide them through. Meditation means something different for everyone. Some may use it as a chance to time out and really focus on their breath. Others may use it as a chance to really manifest what they want to bring into their lives. No matter what the purpose or how you do it, being mindful can have its benefits for everyone.
It’s not only the time during meditation that’s beneficial. Yes zoning out and taking some quiet time can do wonders for our concentration and stress levels, but it’s also about how it affects your daily life too. The tools you learn through your meditation practice will help to guide and shape your entire life. From not letting the little things get to you, to being more efficient with your to-do list or showing more gratitude to the people around you.
The practice of meditation can be tricky to begin with. Our minds have a tendency to chat away non-stop, so we like to use guided meditations to help us through our practice. Apps like Calm, Mindful or Headspace are amazing at creating short meditations and teaching you the tools to eventually learn how to meditate on your own. They also form a great accountability system too.
You don’t know unless you try. So give it a go and see what it’s like for yourself!
