On Meditation

Mediation is on everyone’s to do list these days or on everyone’s minds. We have books, videos, podcasts, apps, our yoga teachers or someone in our lives talking to us about the wonders of meditation or convincing us to get into it.

For those of you that like me when I started aren’t sure if youre doing it right I am about to give you a short cut.

I have been “trying” to meditate for years now and really got into it last year while living in Paris. I would do the whole setting the scene for it: candles, crystals, cushion to sit on, etc. basically trying very hard to meditate which by the way defeats the purpose.

The powerful thing about meditation is actually the turning off of the brain, which I understand as a human myself seems impossible! The second powerful thing about it is the actual breathing and doing it well. So here goes your short cut and how anyone can get into basic mediation:

1- Sit cross-legged, back straight, or against a something with your back straight with your legs stretched.

2- Close your eyes

3- Take a deep breath in. Hold it. For a second feel the energy of holding that breath, then release it emptying out the breath completely.

4- Repeat step 3 at least 5 times with complete focus on that breath. Focus on your nose, mouth, lungs, and listen to your breath. Focus. Actually repeat is at many times as you want, five is just a good count.

5- After that open your eyes and smile.

After you get the hang of it you can throw in stuff like focusing on a thought (I like to use gratitude as a thought to keep me in tuned). Then you can add candles, or do it a more comfortable setting in your home like by a window where the sunlight comes in. However you do it just start to realize that the power of this so call “meditation” comes in giving the brain and breath some down time. The more you practice it the more you will look forward to it.!