So you think you should meditate?

I am a huge believer in meditation.  It’s probably the one thing that’s really transformed my life. Although I’m not a ‘one size fits all’ kind of girl, this is the one exception that I recommend for pretty much everyone.

When I first started meditating, about 3years ago now, I must admit I was a little nervous about it. I worried about “what will come up?” “what if I don’t like what’s inside and like my thoughts and ego’s version of myself and life?” “what if people think I’m weird?” Yup, I had all those thoughts too. But I had started to learn more about it and hear how it had benefited other peoples’ lives and I was curious… So, I took a leap of faith and thought, hey, if it’s meant to be good for you, then I better give it a crack. Just like that time I forced myself to like green tea when I was 16 and was studying for my NCEA exams… I had heard all the health benefits, so I thought I better get onto it. And I’ve drunk green tea almost every morning since. Ha. Meditation on the other hand has been a more challenging practice to adhere to, as I hear for many others too…

So often, the thing we need the most, is also the thing we resist the most.

I tried a few different techniques to start with but for me, 3years ago, my inner critic was running wild and sitting in silence for 10mins was a challenge. So, I found that guided meditation was much more enjoyable and easier to stick to. And now there’s several great apps to help you with this (see below).

Now days, although there are days I miss, (and I definitely notice if I have missed my meditation…) meditation is just a part of my life now. It instantly drops me out of my head and into my body, I have strengthened my inner connection with myself and my intuition, I have been able to move through and release some heavy emotions, had amazing visualisations and things just ‘come to me’ during meditation. So often I get wisdom and guidance through meditation that is like no other.

And it’s not just me either, my coaching clients have noticed a change in themselves too through just a few weeks of consistent meditation, and even a few of my physio patients have reaped it’s benefits too.

Meditation is definitely something to be practiced though. You can’t expect to be good at something after one go, and meditation is no different. But you’ve just got to start. Start today, with just 5-10mins and show up for yourself consistently. Set a reminder or an alarm. Schedule it in. And of course, let me know how you get on!

Meditation has numerous benefits:

-       It can get you out of your ‘head’ and into your body

-       It can strengthen your connection to your intuition

-       It encourages you to drop into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest)

-       It can lower stress levels

-       It can be amazing at managing anxiety and anxious feelings

-       It can improve sleep and relaxation

-       It can help you to start to dial down your loud inner critic, that negative self-talk.

-       It can enhance self-awareness

-       It can be beneficial to help manage chronic pain

-       It can deepen your spiritual practice

Resources/Apps that may be of interest:

-       Headspace

-       One Giant Mind

-       Calm

-       Insight timer

-       The mindfulness app

-       Youtube – loads of free guided meditations on there

-       Down Dog App – yoga app (highly recommend if you want to start your own yoga practice at home) for more of a meditative movement practice.