079 7361 9614 [email protected]

Meditation. Creating your own internal spa

Let’s be honest. When I say the word meditation, what springs to mind? Blissful, boring, too busy, can’t sit still?

Trust me when I say that I did not come out of my Mother’s womb knowing how to meditate!

But as a holistic practitioner, if I suggested that meditation could be a gateway to creating your own internal spa, what would you say?

Benefits

  • Let’s bring on the science. A recent study indicated that a 20 minute meditation practice over 30 days can develop
  • Problem solving skills, rational thought, memory retention, willpower, pain management, calmness, compassion and empathy.
  • The NHS uses mindfulness meditation as an adjunct to treatment for depression and anxiety, guiding people to navigate their mental traffic rather than be stuck in the jam.

Meditation warm ups.

For those of you who are petrified by the notion of sitting still for 20 minutes, don’t worry.

I would no more suggest you do a marathon without considerable training, than meditate for a long period without practising first.

I would invite you to experiment with the following.
  1. Creating a meditation space with your own personal artefacts. E.g incense, crystals, photos.
  2. Meditating on a chair is not a crime. Whether on the floor, cross-legged, kneeling lying down or in lotus, the aim is for the lower body to feel grounded and the spine and upper body to feel supported. Use blankets, zafus or cushions.
  3. Read around meditation. The books that motivated me were. “Ancient Wisdom. Modern World by The Dalai Lama and Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Guratarana.
  4. Start daily with 5 minutes and build on that weekly.
  5. Don’t have expectations of bliss, although you may experience it from time to time.

There is a caveat. Boredom and mental traffic will pay you a visit. So here are some tips.

Rising above the challenges

  1. Allow yourself to be curious about what it is that you are thinking and feeling. Sum it up in a sentence and bring it back to the breath.
  2. Try counting the inhale and exhale.
  3. Try saying “rise” as you inhale and “release” as you exhale.
  4. Keep a diary of your experience. Draw connections between the experience of meditation and life circumstances.
  5. Meditate upon the meaning of a spiritual or motivational quote, and how this might apply to your life.
  6. Try a meditation app.

After inevitable challenges I have seen incredible results with meditation. Often with people experiencing low mood, irritability anxiety and a sense of feeling stuck.

Meditation is not a miracle cure, and should be approached with caution if you are experiencing overwhelming physical and mental distress. Please seek medical advice first and foremost.

I invite you to see meditation not as the definitive solution, but more an experience that might help you to create a break from the busyness of your life, hopefully creating your own internal spa.