We’ve all heard that daily meditation is helpful for our mental and physical health, but between rushing around at work and the never-ending chore list at home, the intention to sit quietly evaporates. Surprisingly, even just 5 minutes of sitting still in silence can reap major benefits to our health and outlook. I was never a believer until I went on a yoga and meditation retreat in the California mountains with my sister. By day five, my NYC stresses felt manageable and even better, I felt capable of tackling them. Below are a few simple ways I incorporated meditation info my life at home.
Get Comfy
Keeping your mind still is hard enough, so ditch the idea you have to sit on the floor. Sitting on a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor and knees at a 90-degree angle works just as well.
Declutter
There’s a reason feng shui is so popular – a cluttered space doesn’t often lead to relaxing thoughts. Try dedicating one uncluttered area of your home to your meditation practice. The key aspect here is to make it a space you want to spend time in.
Start Small
Back in my apartment post-yoga retreat, I found it much harder to sit still for large periods of time, so I cut my meditation time down to 5 minutes. Surely, I thought, I could sit quietly for five minutes. As I became more comfortable, I slowly began to add time to my practice. It doesn’t matter how much time you start with, the point is that you’re setting aside time for yourself.
Focus on Breathing
Meditation isn’t so much about turning your mind off (who can do that, anyway?), but it’s really about being present in your life. Some people recite mantras while practicing (the Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Than recommends the mantra: “Breathing in, I calm my body; breathing out, I smile”), but I find counting to be helpful until I get into a groove. Often, I don’t even notice that I’ve stopped counting.
What do you guys think about meditation? Anyone have a daily meditation practice?
—Kait Clark
ICYMI: My friend and fellow beauty product junkie, Kait Clark, is a guest blogger on PoP!
Read more of her posts here.
