- By Prerna Targhotra
- Sun, 26 May 2024 03:54 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Meditation is a transformative practice of training the mind to experience a heightened state of awareness, deep relaxation, and tranquillity. Its multiple benefits such as reduction in stress and anxiety, improved sleep, sharper focus, and better relationships are backed by science. Meditation encourages you to cultivate a sense of detached observation, meaning that while you remain aware of your environment, you don’t get distracted by the thoughts in your head or the commotion around you. Meditating this way ultimately allows you to live more mindfully in the present moment and observe situations for what they are.
Expert Prakriti Poddar, Global Head of mental Health and Wellbeing, Roundglass Living strongly recommends integrating meditation seamlessly into your daily routine to find balance amidst the chaos and create space for self-reflection.
Starting meditation practice may appear daunting at first. Try out these simple tips recommended by Prakriti to slowly ease into the practice and then turn it into a lifelong habit:
1. Whenever you have some time free in the day, use it for exploring meditation. There are incredible benefits to practising it at any time of day.
2. Meditation may appear overwhelming and confusing initially. Sitting still for even 10 minutes may feel daunting. But with practice, it gets easier.
3. If you find yourself struggling, seek help. At Roundglass Living, we offer guided meditations for beginners on our app.
4. Feeling restless during your first few sessions is expected and it doesn’t mean that you are doing it wrong. It is all part of the process. You need to trust it and focus more on the process than on the outcome.
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5. Don’t get affected by the onslaught of thoughts. It means that you are finally slowing down and observing the content of your mind. Let them come and go and be a non-judging observer.
6. It’s natural for you to start the practice with certain expectations of how you are supposed to feel. But with practice, you will reach a stage where the experience of just being in that moment of stillness becomes bigger than any of your expectations.
7. Once you get familiar with the practice and its process, you can meditate anytime and anywhere – while travelling in a cab, during lunch break or before an important meeting.
“This is when the practice starts to change you into a better version of yourself. As you stick to it, your meditation sessions will become deeper and increasingly more rewarding,” says Prakriti.
Tips To Start Meditation (Image Credits: Canva)
Avantika Naidu, Senior Psychologist, MpowerHelpline, Mumbai said that when we think about mindful meditation the picture that comes to our mind is of a great sadhus or monk attaining insight and being able to stay in a meditative state for hours or even days. That seems nearly impossible for us to achieve and we give up. Practising mindful meditation can be very simple if we start with the right goal of self-care, focusing our thoughts and paying attention to our breathing.
Start with finding a comfortable place where you are less likely to get interpreted and set a small time like 10 minutes to start. You can even practise while using public transport if you get a place to sit. Use your earphones, remember how you can have an immersive experience and forget your surroundings while listening to music.
In the same way, you can listen to mindful meditation videos which are available online to guide you through the process. They come at different times depending on how long you want to practise. You can increase the time only when you feel confident and comfortable. It's not necessary to and even 10 - 15 mins in a day can be extremely beneficial to focus our thoughts.