M is for Meditation

It's week thirteen of Alphabe-Thursday!

M is for Meditation...

For the past few months I have been meditating every day. I'm not usually so disciplined! :-) But at the end of last year I decided I needed to be kinder to myself and I knew that meditating was a simple way of doing this. I've found that it doesn't take much energy to stay in my warm bed for an extra twenty minutes in the morning while I listen to my guided meditation! In fact, it's a blessing. Those twenty minutes are a gift I've been giving to myself. And I feel so much better for having done it.

The great thing about meditation is that it can be done anywhere and at any time. Twenty minutes might be a luxury some people can't afford in the mornings, but there is sure to be one spare moment in the day where you can sit back, close your eyes and just take a few deep breaths. That's all meditation is, essentially. Taking a moment. Breathing. Shutting off all the crazy thoughts for a minute. Meditation isn't always about sitting in the lotus position and chanting 'om'. Meditation is actually a lot simpler than that.

Meditation is mindfulness. It's agreeing to consciously choose to take a short break from life, to let go of the daily grind and relax. Taking a moment for yourself isn't selfish. Quite the contrary. It helps you to deal with the stresses in life, which in turn makes you a more compassionate and supportive person. Take care of yourself first and you'll find the strength to take care of others.

You've probably meditated without even realising it. Ever counted to ten before responding to someone during an argument? That's meditation. Ever lost track of time while jogging around the park or swimming laps? That's active meditation. Ever 'woken up' while reading a novel - the moment you realise you've been completely absorbed in your imagination? That's meditation too! Meditation is anything that gives you a break from incessant thinking.

For me, meditation allows me to 'get back to myself', to let go of stress and connect with my true self - the divine part of me. But it isn't all about my spirituality. I've found meditation can help me with my day-to-day physical life as well. I am calmer, happier and more creative when I give myself those twenty minutes every morning. Life still has its ups and downs of course, but I'm in a much better position to handle it all.

If you're usually too busy for meditation then I want to give you a gift right now. As you come to the end of this post take a moment for yourself before you move on to the next thing. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Picture something that makes you happy. Smile. And keep breathing deeply. Just for a minute. That's all it takes. Enjoy! :-)