The varied benefits of meditation have been well documented, from scientific research through to personal accounts across the world, there’s no denying that meditation is a healthy habit to get into. However, with our busy schedules and constant demands on our time from work, family, partners, and social media, finding the time to switch off and include any kind of meditation can sometimes feel like a Herculean task. The good news is that it can be done. Here’s how:
Step 1
Find two minutes – yes, just TWO – a day. Do it first thing in the morning, even if it means setting the alarm two minutes earlier. If you do it first thing, then you won’t find excuses not to do it later on.
Step 2
Sit. That’s all, nothing complicated, no special equipment or particular pose required. Just pull up a chair, sit on your couch, sit up in bed, or sit cross-legged on the floor if you find it comfortable. The important part is not to overthink it. Just sit.
Step 3
Now that you’re seated, comfortable, and settled, start by counting your breaths to yourself. Breathe in, that’s “one”, then out, that’s “two”. Continue up to ten then start again back at one. Repeat for two minutes.
Step 4
Keep doing this every day. After about a week, or once you feel comfortable with your two minutes and you see how easy it is to incorporate meditation into your morning routine, try increasing it by another couple of minutes. Continue increasing your time, but don’t get competitive with yourself as meditation isn’t a race. Take it slow and easy and form a natural habit first before jumping in too deep and losing your momentum.
Step 5
Don’t worry about ‘doing it wrong’. Meditation should be a personal journey and doesn’t need to be bogged down with instruction and getting it exactly right. If you lose your count, your mind wanders (it will), or thoughts and emotions bubble up, it’s okay. Come back to your breathing, refocus yourself and keep going. In fact, sometimes it might be worth exploring some of the feelings that surface during meditation rather than avoiding them as we would generally do in our day-to-day life. Greet your feelings, stay with them a while, and observe them with curiosity before setting them free.
Step 6
Once you’re comfortable following your breath, start learning more about yourself and your body. Listen to your body and pay attention to every small detail, starting from the tips of your toes and moving your way up.
Step 7
Commit. Don’t just agree to yourself that you’ll see how it goes for a few days. You need to make it a daily priority for at least a month, and at the end of each session, even from day one, smile at yourself and be grateful for the goal you have accomplished.