How to calm your mind
Remember how you stepped into a swimming pool for the first time in your life, not knowing how to swim, and there was someone who you could trust to hold you? I am going to hold your hand today as you step into this pool of practising meditation.
I have been practising meditation every day for the last eight years. It has become a part of my routine and the only regret that I have is not starting sooner.
Meditation has many-fold benefits. It resets your mind and calms you down. Your thoughts become sharper and it strengthens your brain to think clearly. It increases your awareness levels about things that are happening both inside and outside your body. It gives a sense of direction to live your life.
Unfortunately, most people do not meditate.
Many people think meditation is useless
- People think that meditation is just not for them. This is far from the truth. With proper guidance, almost anyone can learn to meditate.
- Many think that practising meditation is extremely difficult. Yes, it may not be a piece of cake, but meditating is not burdensome at all.
- Some people are afraid of being alone with their thoughts.
- Others start meditating but stop when it becomes boring or because it lacks instant gratification.
Here’s how you can start on the path of being able to practise meditation easily:
Step 1: Before you start, tell yourself that meditation is easy and good for you
This is an important step that helped me start on the right track.
You can trick your brain to think that this is a relaxing activity that is going to help you. This works for any new activity that you want to do but which you always keep putting off for later. Also, during and after the activity you will always feel grateful for meditating. Hack the brain to do your bidding!
Step 2: Use guided meditation to start
Most people get overwhelmed by the thousands of guided meditation courses available online.
I would suggest, choose any one meditation app and starting your journey. Also, try not to switch between apps for at least a few months. Once you are comfortable, you can move on to advanced techniques. You can try Insight Timer or Headspace to begin. I use Insight Timer for my morning meditation and nothing for my nighttime meditation.
Step 3: Make it a habit
Meditation, like compound interest, shows effects over the long term.
That is why adding meditation to your morning or nighttime routine can help you meditate every day. I have added a 10-minute meditation to my morning routine. Since it is morning, this is something that I can do every day at a fixed and specific time. In the beginning, how long you meditate does not matter. What matters is that you are doing it every day. Once meditation becomes a habit, you would not feel like skipping it. Your physical and mental health will thank you.
