‘Ommmmmmmm.’
Just joking. But really there’s a reason this practice has been around for so long. It’s very effective, at least it can be when you put in the effort. Let the Q&A session ensue!
You say: Meditation is haaaard.
I know. That is why you start small. Don’t begin with high expectations thinking you’ll be sitting there for an hour glimpsing into the secrets of the universe, they do exist, but that comes with perseverance, patience and time 😉 Commit 5 minutes each morning and eventually you’ll naturally fall into 10, 15 and then longer.
Is it worth it?
Definitely, depending on what you put into it determines what you get out of it. Like life itself, it’s that simple. For me personally, I’ve found it gives me great perception over myself and my thought patterns and emotional tendencies which can be very empowering. It improves your focus and makes you a calmer person.
‘The thing about meditation is: you become more and more you.’ – David Lynch
My mind won’t shut up.
Good. That’s natural. And it will be like that for a while. A key practise you could do to get yourself ahead is to instead of being engaged with your thoughts, simply watch them. Taking an outside stance like watching a circus performance. Don’t judge, don’t analyse, just watch. Another way of trying is projecting it onto a massive cinema screen in front of you and you watch it like a film. It gives you a stance of objectivity and a whole new view of yourself.
How do I start?
Yes – you got to this part! Get a meditation cushion or chair. Sitting on the floor hurts the backside and we’ve all sat through Lord of the Rings. Nobody wants that. It will eventually act as an external stimulus that will trigger your brain to prepare your mind for meditating.
Hmm. Ok, maybe I’ll start.
Go for it! 🙂
Let me know what experiences any you guys have, especially when starting off. When I began a few years ago, I did so with a small book containing easy to-do exercises for 10-15 minutes before progressing for longer.
For additional tips you can try the Psychology Today website – https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201303/5-meditation-tips-beginners.
