You may not be aware that there are many different methods of meditation to help relieve stress, to relieve tension, and to relax you.
The first thing to remember is that there are different ways to meditate and it’s very possible for you to find one that will fit your lifestyle.
You may have a friend that has used meditation to help them relax and wants to give you advice on how they meditate. Your friend can suggest ways that help him or her but will it help you? Just acknowledge that the person you are talking to has a whole different lifestyle then you do. Therefore, what works for them, may, or, may not, work for you. And that’s okay!
If you are an active person, exercise can be a very good and healthy way to meditate. Walking can be very relaxing and it can give you time to gather your thoughts while getting healthy at the same time. If you are not the kind of person that is used to a lot of exercise and you feel walking would help you meditate, try starting out slowly. It’s best not to try and walk 2 or 3 miles starting out. You want to meditate, but you want to relax while doing, not over-doing it. If you don’t exercise regularly, you do not want to wear yourself out or discourage your process. Walk slowly and take time to be in the moment and gather your thoughts.
One of the relaxing ways I find to meditate is by prayer. I will be the first to admit I do not know a lot about the bible or religion and probably do not actually pray in the way that most people do who know a lot about the bible. My point is I am still able to relax and have time to myself by meditating and I take my comfort in my spiritual connection and practice. I guess you can say I talk to spirit more than I pray. Meditation is a way to go within and internalize your thoughts.
I actually feel that me talking from my heart is the same as saying a prayer from your heart. My grandmother often-times takes prayer lists from her church and local organizations she’s collaborated with and no matter how many people’s names are on the lists she takes the time to sit and say a prayer of healing and comfort for each and every one of the names on those prayer lists.
My husband finds he can meditate and relax by listening to music. He actually has an entire playlist of different types of music he listens to. His comfort is in his music and he plays the radio often to listen to music. He mostly listens to country and reggae. The music helps him concentrate and keep his thoughts together.
Another way I find relaxing to meditate is through animals. You can talk to your pet without worrying about him talking back to you like someone else might. You can curl up on the couch and just communicate with your pet. You may think how do you communicate with an animal? Animals are very smart and can sense emotions. They understand how you are feeling. If you have had a bad day they often come to comfort you by just being there for you. If you have a dog or a cat let them sit or lay next to you and pet them and you just may begin to feel more relaxed and you slowly forget about the stress your day has brought.
So whether you are meditating by a method of exercise, or a method of communicating with your animals, or by prayer, take the time to just relax your mind and your body and you will be physically and emotionally less stressed.
Remember meditation is basically taking the time to collect your thoughts and when you take the time to get your thoughts together your mind will then be able to concentrate and focus on the things that are important in your life.
Until Next Time!
Health and Happiness,
Shantell @ PNW Health and Wellness