Meditation is a deep and broad subject, one that may be viewed through the lens of spirituality, science, or psychology, among others. A million blogs can (and have) be written about meditation and all of its benefits. This blog, however, does not seek to be exhaustive, but rather to provide a simple and accessible way for the average person to begin a daily meditation practice for therapeutic benefit. That being said, if you begin your own practice and find it meaningful, I encourage you to explore all that it has to offer! Zen meditation, kundalini meditation, transcendental meditation, chakra meditation, and so many more. Embark on your journey and create a practice that works for you.
Why Meditate?
Essentially, to build your “mind muscle”. So much of our suffering exists in our minds. Take, for example, an anxious college student who has a big project to present to the class. In the days and hours leading up to it, he may be thinking such catastrophic thoughts as “I am going to do terribly”, “what if I mess up?”, “I am going to look like an idiot”, and more. These thoughts trigger the adrenal glands to produce the stress hormone cortisol, which prepare the body for a flight-or-fight response by increasing the heart rate, producing rapid breathing, inhibiting digestion, and producing other symptoms such as sweating, shaking, tunnel vision, among others. Over time, this can lead to chronic inflammation, immune system suppression, gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular disease, and other issues. Whoa. Not to mention, that all of the worrying could prevent the student from doing a good job on the presentation. Now, take a step back and imagine that instead of going down the rabbit hole with those worried thoughts, our college student instead was able to notice them, detach from them, and move on with the actual doing of his project without these interfering thoughts. Yes, this is what is possible when you have built up your mind muscle. Thoughts and emotions can come in and then go out; we do not need to attach to them!
How to Begin?
Keep it simple. The following are merely suggestions; feel free to take what you like and leave the rest.
Why Meditate?
Essentially, to build your “mind muscle”. So much of our suffering exists in our minds. Take, for example, an anxious college student who has a big project to present to the class. In the days and hours leading up to it, he may be thinking such catastrophic thoughts as “I am going to do terribly”, “what if I mess up?”, “I am going to look like an idiot”, and more. These thoughts trigger the adrenal glands to produce the stress hormone cortisol, which prepare the body for a flight-or-fight response by increasing the heart rate, producing rapid breathing, inhibiting digestion, and producing other symptoms such as sweating, shaking, tunnel vision, among others. Over time, this can lead to chronic inflammation, immune system suppression, gastrointestinal problems, cardiovascular disease, and other issues. Whoa. Not to mention, that all of the worrying could prevent the student from doing a good job on the presentation. Now, take a step back and imagine that instead of going down the rabbit hole with those worried thoughts, our college student instead was able to notice them, detach from them, and move on with the actual doing of his project without these interfering thoughts. Yes, this is what is possible when you have built up your mind muscle. Thoughts and emotions can come in and then go out; we do not need to attach to them!
How to Begin?
Keep it simple. The following are merely suggestions; feel free to take what you like and leave the rest.
- Create a little nook. It can help to have something cozy and eye-pleasing to draw you in. Use a little corner of your bedroom or somewhere else, throw a pillow on the floor, light a candle, have some books or rocks or anything calming and personal nearby to set the mood.
- Sit in a way that is comfortable, be it on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair. Make your spine as straight as possible without straining.
- Begin with 2 to 3 minutes. First thing in the morning is preferable, as it sets a precedent for the rest of the day to be calm and centered, but if that doesn’t work with your routine, any time is fine. Use a timer on your phone, download an app, or check out http://www.onlinemeditationtimer.com/ for a free timer with intervals. Eventually, try build up to 10 to 20 minutes. But know that absolutely any time spent, even if minimal, is beneficial.
- Eyes- you may choose to close your eyes, keep them slightly open so you can see the tip of your nose, gently gaze at a candle, or turn them up and inward at the Third Eye. Play around and see what feels most comfortable.
- Pick something to focus on. I usually suggest the breath to start. You can just notice how you naturally breathe. A meditation teacher once pointed out to me how you don’t have to force yourself to breathe; your body naturally breathes you, and noticing this can be a very calm and peaceful thing.
- Be prepared to have thoughts flood in. A fallacy around meditation is that you are not supposed to have thoughts- wrong! Try instead to notice when you are having thoughts, and gently return your attention to your breath. You may have to do this 20 times in your 3 minute meditation- this is the building of the mind muscle. It’s hard but it pays off.
- Don’t judge! You may be tempted to scold yourself for getting lost in your thoughts- “I stink at this”, “I’m doing it wrong”, “I should just give up”. When this comes up, notice it and return to the breath. It’s just thoughts about thoughts.
- Stick with it! If you miss a day, it’s no big deal, but don’t let too many days go by. The effects of meditation occur over time- just once will be helpful for that day, but consistent, daily meditation over time will decrease stress-related cortisol, insomnia, depression, anxiety, panic; increase immune system efficacy, insight, and general well-being.
A word about trauma and meditation
Meditation is beneficial for everyone, but if you are someone who struggles with flashbacks, dissociation, or intrusive thoughts and memories, please take the following into consideration:
Meditation is beneficial for everyone, but if you are someone who struggles with flashbacks, dissociation, or intrusive thoughts and memories, please take the following into consideration:
- Meditation alone will not treat your symptoms; trauma-focused therapy should be a part of your recovery plan as well.
- Be careful about sitting when traumatically triggered- try shorter periods of time, and active meditation with sound and/or chanting. Know yourself- if you are experiencing intense, overwhelming emotions consider skipping meditation at that moment and replace it with another relaxing activity instead.
- Stay grounded- open your eyes if needed, look at a candle. Hold something like a stone, crystal or stress ball. Light incense or listen to music.
- Be mindful that as awareness deepens, buried, intense feelings may come to the surface. Be prepared for this, and reach out to someone if needed.
- Meditation should be complemented with activities that are embodying- exercise, engaging in relationships/work, etc, to counteract dissociative tendencies. In other words, do not meditate in a vacuum.
- Consider meditating within a community rather than alone- check out local yoga studios or sanghas that may offer community meditations.
- Read more about trauma and meditation here: http://citintegral.com/2015/10/02/a-trauma-sensitive-approach-to-meditation-part-i/
“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” -Thich Nhat Hahn
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