What is meditation

What comes to your mind when you think of meditation? Is it the image of sitting cross-legged and chanting "ummm"? While that is one way to meditate, it’s certainly not the only approach.

Meditation is a mental exercise that helps increase self-awareness, focusing on thoughts, senses, and feelings. Although closing your eyes and sitting in silence is a common method, there are various alternatives.

Guided Meditation

Not everyone prefers to sit in silence, and you might feel uncertain about what to reflect on. That's perfectly okay! Guided meditations are a helpful option. They provide direction on what position to take, what to visualize, and what thoughts to concentrate on. Typically, there’s a calming voice leading you through the exercise, often accompanied by soothing background sounds. You can find guided meditations easily online, such as on YouTube, or through apps like Spotify and Headspace. Alternatively, you could gather a friend and read scripts to each other.

Taking a Walk

If you find sitting still boring, you're in luck! Going for a stroll or hiking can be a relaxing way to clear your mind. It allows you to reflect while releasing any built-up energy. If you prefer not to think about anything specific, focus on your senses instead. What colors do the leaves display? What sounds do you hear, like birds chirping or the wind rustling?

If going outside isn't an option, you can walk around your house. A fun bonus is that if you hold your chin while walking, you might resemble a philosopher deep in thought.

Coloring

Don’t worry about being too old to color! This activity can be a great way to relax and express creativity. Coloring alleviates stress and anxiety, offering a meditative experience that helps focus on the present. As you choose colors and fill designs, worries fade, creating calm. It stimulates the brain's creative centers, encouraging imaginative thinking and problem-solving, allowing artistic exploration without pressure of creating a masterpiece

Affirmations

Incorporating affirmations into your routine can be a powerful practice for self-belief and motivation. Affirmations are positive statements that you repeat to yourself, often in the present tense, to challenge and overcome negative thoughts and self-doubt.

The best way to practice is to set aside daily time, like in the morning or before bed, to focus on them. This practice reinforces self-worth and sets a positive tone for the day or helps unwind at night. You can write them in a journal, recite them aloud, or listen to recordings during daily activities.

Body Scans

Do you ever feel tense without knowing why? Rubbing your foot or biting your nails? Sometimes, it’s essential to observe not just our thoughts but also our bodily sensations. Body scans are effective for becoming more aware of how we physically respond to emotions like nervousness, sadness, happiness, or even boredom.

Journaling

When thoughts seem to loop in our minds, expressing them can be incredibly freeing. Writing them down allows us to make sense of them and set them aside for later. Journaling can also help establish intentions for the day or provide a way to decompress at night. If traditional writing isn't your style, consider alternative forms of journaling. Some people create junk journals or art journals to express their creativity, while others prefer scrapbooking using pictures, stickers, and quotes that resonate with them in the moment.