I’ve practised Yoga for over 20 years. People always assumed this meant I could Meditate. But I couldn’t.
No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t sit still for long enough. I couldn’t bear the silence!
I couldn’t even keep my eyes closed – always peeking around the room to check people hadn’t played a trick on me, got up and left the room. No matter what, I couldn’t stop thinking of random crap. So I’d quit. I’d get up off the floor, defeated. Resigned to the fact that meditation just wasn’t my thing. Maybe next time? And in a couple of months I’d put myself through it all over again. Same actions, same results.
How were other people doing it? Why was it so bloody hard? What was I doing wrong? And how the hell do I stop myself from thinking? All those benefits, unreachable to me.
YouTube video after YouTube video, class after class – they made it look effortless! I couldn’t fit in, I couldn’t relate. Frustration was an understatement!
Then one day I discovered you don’t have to sit in silence. Huh? You don’t even have to sit still. Whaaa? Best of all, it was actually easy! Wow! Just wow! I was hooked!
All those years frustrated & it was so simple all along?
Why couldn’t someone have shown me this YEARS ago?
How to meditate ‘properly’
The first thing I learnt is that thinking is a normal part of meditation (mind blown) We can’t stop our brains from thinking anymore than we can stop our hearts from beating. This actually makes so much sense when you think about it, right?
This was the beginning of my eyes opening wide and my mind switching over to a new way of looking at meditation. The first thong I discovered was how it’s more about being kind to yourself. Not getting pissed off with the way you think things ‘should be’. How you are enough just the way you are. No force, no effort – compassion. Massive life lessons right there!
I discovered how every meditation experience is different. That it doesn’t make it right or wrong. It doesn’t mean one time worked better than the other. It gives you exactly what you need at that moment in time.
The power is in you, it’s always been there. It’s just about settling that busy mind enough to hear it.
If you’re uncomfortable the way you’re sitting you can move, if you get an itch you can scratch it. Otherwise let’s be honest, you’re just going to sit there distracted, waiting for it to be over.
For years I was convinced there were strict rules on how to ‘meditate properly’ and that’s just not true. Maybe I was just watching the wrong videos & going to the wrong classes for me?
Now I’m all about spreading the word about just how EASY this practice really is. Meditation is magic!
The health benefits are endless!
Check some of these out:
- Reduces stress
- Controls anxiety
- Improves relationships
- Encourages mindfulness
- Promotes emotional health
- Enhances self awareness
- Lengthens attention span
- Can generate kindness
- Helps fight addictions
- Improves sleep
- Pain management
- Decrease blood pressure
- Lower heart rate
You can literally practice meditation anywhere, anytime. My meditation classes are for everyone and offer a unique fusion of breath-work, mindful movement, meditation and relaxation. Take a look here for more details.
Love Laura x