Tips of Self Love and Healthier State of Mind

Many of you have heard people say “Meditation is good for you!” But is it a fancy modern term or are there actually health benefits to it?

The term meditation refers to a great variety of practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, improve self-love and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity and forgiveness. Meditation often involves an internal effort to self-regulate the mind in some way.

It is used to clear the mind, improve focus, increase happiness & self-worth, improve brain function & memory, and ease many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. It may be difficult to meditate in the beginning, but cultivating this healthy habit can payoff longterm, by making you feel better about yourself, be less critical and more accepting of yourself and others, as well as manage anxiety and sleep patterns better. You may choose to take Guided-Meditation classes to help you in the beginning. Here are some tips to help you get started with Meditation:

1. Take some time to yourself DAILY, set the mood, get comfortable & get ready for a peaceful journey of meditation.

Did you know by spending just a little time preparing for your meditation, you can actually have a deeper experience in meditation? Turn on some meditation music (alternatively you can sit in silence), take a few deep breaths and do a few stretches before starting your meditation. Stretching helps your circulation and controlled breathing helps to keep you focused. This helps to steady the rhythm of the breath and leads the mind into a peaceful meditative state.

Make it a sacred time and place, without interruptions and make yourself comfortable. Meditation is essentially relaxation time, so it should be done entirely at your convenience. The hours of sunrise and sunset, while nature transitions between day and night, are also ideal for the practice. Your posture makes a difference. Make sure you are relaxed, comfortable and steady. Keep your spine straight, your shoulders and neck relaxed, and eyes closed throughout the process. MYTH of Meditation: you don’t have to sit in Padmasana (the lotus position) to meditate.

2. Count your breath, focus your attention and try to control your thoughts.

If you are having difficulties settling, you can try counting the breath. On your exhale, silently count “one”, then “two”, and up to “four”. Then return to “one”. Whenever you notice your thoughts have strayed far away or you find yourself counting “twenty-three”, simply return to “one”. In this way, “one” is like coming home to the present moment.

When you notice thoughts, gently let them go by returning your focus to the breath. Don’t try to stop thoughts; this will just make you feel agitated. Some emotions tend to breed stories in the mind, especially anger, shame and fear create stories that repeat over and over in the mind. The way to deal with strong emotions in meditation is to focus on the body feelings that accompany the emotion. Let go of the stories and refocus on your body. In this way you are honoring your emotions but not becoming entangled in stories.

3. Length of meditation and guided-meditations.

Start with 10 minutes and only sit longer if you feel the length is too short. Don’t force yourself to meditate longer if you are not ready to do that. In time you might like to extend your meditation
to 25 minutes. That’s a length that allows you to settle your mind without causing too much stress on your body. Do what feels right for you!

Taking Guided-Meditation classes or meditating in a group setting could be helpful in the beginning. Once you get familiar with techniques, you can meditate anywhere and anytime, and it will take you less time to fall into meditative state.

Salt Room LV offers a perfect setting for meditations – pristine Himalayan Salt Cave that brings you closer to nature and clears your energy. Many Guided-Meditation classes and
workshops are offered here, including instrumental meditations, such as Violin-guided meditation, Harp and Guitar meditations, Crystal and Tibetan Bowl meditations, Shamanic healing and drumming, QiGog, Heart Centering and more.

Breathe well, live well…