Get started with meditation
Just a year ago is when I started to explore the world of meditation. At first, I would hear about meditation or people meditating and would think that it was some crazy spiritual practice that I was not cut out for. I honestly just didn’t know what the point was and didn’t know very much about the practice or really anyone who took part.
I first learned more about meditation in Nutrition school and I quickly realized that my initial thoughts surrounding this practice were completely wrong. Meditation is an excellent tool to incorporate into your daily routine, especially during times of distress. It is said to “decrease stress, improve mental clarity and energy, and foster creativity.” It has been scientifically proven to mitigate addiction, depression, anxiety, cognitive function, and eating disorders. It can also be a tool used to improve cellular health and balance hormone levels!
Okay, please tell me I’ve already sold on at least trying it after hearing all those benefits?!
Before I jump into how you can get started with meditation I'm going to utilize my nurse life skills for a minute and share a little deeper how meditation affects your physical body. There are five areas of the brain that benefit from meditation, the prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, temporoparietal junction, amygdala, hippocampus, and the pain response center of your brain!! Isn’t that wild? This means that meditation can help maintain the size of these structures resulting in mental resilience, improving the ability to read emotions, improving creativity and self-reflection, preventing cognitive decline, and improving the body’s physiological response to pain. Sources are down below for all my science people. Meditation can also reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and improve blood flow! It simply feels freaking good and there has never been a time where I wished I didn’t meditate.
I recently shared on Instagram my meditation experience and the spiritual journey I've been on and as I type this I'm wondering if I should share that here, too. But, the number one question I received was, “how do I get started with meditation?” and I want you to know there is no right or wrong way to meditate. It is about tapping into your body and what feels best for you, although I want to give you a starting point because I know that it can be kind of intimidating.
Before sitting down to meditate for your first time you should set the intention and identify why you want to get started with a meditation practice. Is there a specific way you want to feel? What would you like to get out of meditation? It’s best to get clear on your intentions with not just meditation but with any new habit, practice, or therapy you’re doing.
When you first start meditation it’s best to start small. Start with a few minutes a day and work your way up! The more you practice the easier it will become, you can start by sitting in silence, tapping into your body, and clearing your mind. You won’t be perfect at this and I bet within the first minute your mind will already start to wander. The art of meditation is pulling yourself back to the present moment and guiding your mind to not fall into the past or worry about the future, but to stay present and focus on breathing, your heart beating, and the way you want to feel. I recommend starting with guided meditation and this is what I consistently use daily! I love using the SuperHuman app but you can also find free guided meditations on Spotify or YouTube. Experiment to find what works best for you and commit to it. Consistency is key, just a couple of minutes a day is better than one meditation session weekly. I also recommend starting a journal or a mini meditation journal if you’d like. That way you can see your mindfulness progress, changes, and mindset transformation. You can just jot down anything that came up for you during your meditation, any goals or thoughts that are becoming a pattern in your life, or simply just to check in with how you’re feeling after a meditation. Self-reflection is a big part of your holistic health journey, it allows you to continue to grow into the best version of yourself.
All in all, incorporating a meditation practice is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your mind. Let me know if you give it a try!
Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21768988
Retrieved from www.link.springer.com/article/10.1023/ B:COTR.0000045557.15923.96
Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1609875