All Things Meditation....Day 9 Challenge

Today I'm going to talk about all things meditation.

I've been exposed to meditation from the young age of 12...I used to hate it. Then I loved it. Then I became inconsistent. Then my beliefs altered. Then I continued meditating. And here we are today!

What is meditation?
To me, meditation is all about awareness. I believe that you can focus on something so intently, that you forget everything else and just be in that moment with that focus. For many, that is their breath. For others, it is sports or a passion like painting. For me, it's all of the above. I personally believe that one can be in a meditative state all day. But, take a second and Google it. See what clicks or makes sense for you!

How do I get started?
I recommend downloading some free meditation apps, like Headspace. It's a great way to get started, and they guide you through the process. Don't get stuck on one though, try different applications out, different videos, anything...do some research and see what feels best for you.

How often am I supposed to meditate?
Meditate as often as you want. For me, I set aside 10 minutes a day to just sit up and breathe in and out and let my thoughts pass by. But, as I mentioned earlier, I try just noticing my breath or body though out my work day, to stay grounded. And I consider that meditation as well.

Why is meditation important?
Personally, this has been a question that I haven't been able to answer until recently. And frankly, my answer keeps evolving. But, I believe meditation is important to give yourself 10 minutes to just calm your mind and let it breathe. We rarely sit still these days, and I think it's beautiful to just be by yourself and living in that moment and regrounding. For me, my best ideas come to me after meditation. I feel a sense of clarity and rejuvenation, all while feeling relaxed at the same time. It's amazing!! There have been numerous studies about the importance of meditation and how "all successful people do it". I'm sure that's true, but I believe the feelings I get from it are the most important!

Here's an interesting chart I found showing various types of meditation:

If this interested you at all or sparked any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

Happy meditating, SteemIt!