Is Meditation Right For You?

Meditation and Religion

Meditation can often be associated with religion, although it doesn’t have to be religious.  People of most faiths have some meditation.  Meditation is a formal practice for some religions, such as Buddhism and Hinduism.

In other religions, it’s less formal.  In fact, prayer in Judeo-Christian religions is a form of mediation where you connect to the source.  For some people, meditation is more about spirituality than religion.

You’ll need to look at meditation in your life and decide how it fits your religious and spiritual beliefs.

Remember that there really aren’t any rules regarding meditation- it needs to be right for you.

Guided Meditation

When you’re new to meditation, knowing how to get started can be difficult.  Guided meditation will help you to get started on your meditation journey. 

While there are many meditation centers where you can participate in guided meditation, you may want to start privately.

You’ll find many different types of guided meditation audio recordings that will help you get started. These meditations will cover everything from positions to breathing.  They may also help you with specific chants to enhance your meditation and free your mind.

In addition, they may have background music that will be designed to help you relax.  Music can be a compelling addition to your meditation practice.  When you find music that speaks to you, you’ll find that meditation goes quickly.

You may also want to read books that give suggestions for guided meditation.  Guided meditation is a tool that can help you to get more out of your meditation time.

The more you practice, the easier it will become, and you may find that you no longer need guided help.

Finding A Space to Meditate

When life is busy, and you have a family, finding a space to meditate can be difficult.  You must find a place for a few minutes of uninterrupted meditation time.  It’s difficult to free your mind when someone is talking to you and distracting you.

Any space can be turned into a meditation space if you prepare.  You may want to use your bedroom as a space for meditation. Make sure to tell the members of your household that you’ll be meditating and that you’d like some private time to do this.

Some people choose to use an office area or gym area to perform meditation.  Still, others find that a large closet can provide a quiet, private meditation space.

Have you ever felt like the bathroom is the only place to be alone?

Many people convert their bathrooms into spiritual places when they need just a few moments alone to refocus and renew their spirit. 

There’s no right or wrong space as long as it’s a place where you can clear your mind.

Carving Out Time for Meditation

The people most in need of meditating and relaxing are often those with the busiest and most demanding lives. 

It can be hard to think that adding one more thing to your schedule can have benefits, but meditation will give you many benefits.

Don’t feel that you have to spend hours meditating each day to achieve a benefit from it.  In fact, even taking just a minute or two to breathe deeply and clear your mind can be of tremendous value to you.

If you have more time, then you can always meditate more.  But if you only have a few minutes, make the most of them.  Building meditation into your schedule is the easiest way to build consistency.

For example, you may want to practice meditating each morning before you get going for the day.  This can help you to face the day with greater focus and purpose.  You’ll feel more connected to the world in which you live.

For others, meditating before bed can give the relaxation needed before trying to get a good night’s sleep.  When the stress of the day has piled onto your shoulders, meditation can help you to relax, unwind, and clear your mind.

Have you ever gone to bed with your mind racing about all of your experiences and all the things on your to-do list for tomorrow?  Meditation can free you from this cycle that disrupts your sleep patterns and makes you weary.

But you can also build meditation into your day at any time.  If you have a lunch break, you can take five minutes to clear your mind and feel more refreshed by meditating.

Even just taking one minute throughout the day to breathe deeply and refocus can have great benefits.

Benefits of Meditation

While there can be obvious spiritual benefits of meditation, many benefits may not be so obvious for adopting this practice.

Take a look at some of the benefits you may receive from adding this simple practice to your life.

• Lowers your heart rate
• Lowers your blood pressure
• Increases your ability to sleep through the night and wake feeling rested
• Relieves tension headaches
• Prevents migraine headaches
• Can help with hormonal balance and achieving an appropriate weight
• Reduces anxiety
• Alleviates depression
• Reduces muscle tension and relieves muscle pain
• Adds a greater feeling of peace

Meditation can provide many physical and spiritual benefits when you add it to your life. 

It helps to take small steps in the beginning and to increase the amount of meditation and your goals for meditation as you become more experienced.