Introduction
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding moments of peace and mental clarity can be a challenge. This is where meditation comes in—a simple yet powerful practice that has been used for centuries to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance overall well-being. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll explore the basics of meditation and the positive effects it can have on your mental clarity.
Section 1: Understanding Meditation
Meditation is the practice of focused concentration of the mind and body on a single particular idea, thought, or action. It is a useful practice that helps individuals gain mental clarity and peace. It also helps train your brain to focus and redirect thoughts. The practice of meditation has been around for decades, dating back in Hindu traditions in India 1500 BCE.
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about the practice of meditation. Several include the following: you have to clear your mind completely, it is only for the spiritual crowd, it requires a lot of time, you have to sit still, etc. These misconceptions are completely false, as there are several different versions of meditation. The main purpose is to relieve stress, while others may use it to manifest goals. Whatever your intentions are with the practice, its going to improve your value of life.
Section 2: Getting Started
Getting started with any new task can be scary and uncomfortable, but here is a helpful list that will give you all the confidence in the world to conquer those feelings and get started.
- Create or find a peaceful meditation setting. Somewhere that is relatively quiet and has little distractions.
- Choose a comfortable posture, and explore sitting or lying down positions.
- Close your eyes and begin to focus on one thought. The most common thought to focus on is your breath. Focus on strictly breathing in deep breaths and slowly breathing out, and feel the sensation of doing so.
- Except that your brain is going to wander. Notice it and redirect it to your focused thought.
- Set a time limit depending on the restrictions of your schedule
It is okay to struggle with this practice, especially if you are a beginner. Getting started was the most difficult part based off on my personal experience. I relied heavily on guided meditation videos, which can be found all across YouTube, to perfect my idea of meditation. Once I became more familiar with the process, I’ve been able to independently meditate ever since. Just like any new skill you are trying to master, consistency is key.
Section 3: positive Effects
- Stress Reduction
Our daily lives are filled with stess, minor or major. Having your mind slow down and focus its attention on one thing helps reduce the frantic thinking of things that are causing the stress.
- Improved Concentration and Memory
Its fairly straight forward idea that the practice of focusing your attention on one thing will improve your concentration on things in your daily life. That is not the only cognitive improvement you will experience. The increased blood flow to the brain through meditation also helps reinforce your memory capacity, which will get covered further in another post.
- Enhances Sleep
If you are having a hard time falling asleep, TRY MEDITATING. Due to the calming effect of the practice, it helps reduce the heart rate and slow down your brain waves.
- Improves Self Awareness
Self-awareness can be defined as conscious knowledge about one’s own emotions, desires, and thoughts. Meditation allows you to focus on all of your emotions and desires without the outside world’s stress plaguing them. This also allows for you to be more present with everything occurring to you in the now. Your thoughts are no longer cluttered with the troubles of the past or the worries for tomorrow.
- Guides Manifestation
Embarking on a journey of creating our own relatively typically begins from within. Focused meditation on our goals gives us the mental clarity needed to envision our future and how to get there.