Meditation

I can only really speak from my experience about meditation. Honestly, it's not easy for me. Sitting still and not letting my antsy mind and body convince me that I WILL die if I don't move, is often a losing battle. But, the more I practice, the better and easier it gets to discredit all my panic and 'to-do' lists. The brain is a muscle, it has to be worked and pushed to get stronger and more stable. It is such a fallacy to think we are just victims to our thoughts, that we have no say where the mind wanders or how we immediately respond to everyday things and even traumatic things that happen to us. 

The biggest advice I can give is one I am constantly being reminded of by mentors and teachers: you CAN'T do it wrong. Don't go into this as another 'task' or something you suck at. Be a beginner at something, it's ok. No judgement, no guilt. Just practice being mindful. Aware of your present moment 

Check THIS out to help get started...Click on each picture on the page for more info

Start simple: sit up nice and tall, but comfortably. Set a timer for 1-2 minutes. Notice your breath as it goes in, keep your focus on your inhale. Then, just notice your breath as it goes out, focus on your exhale. Your mind might try and wander, it's ok, just come back to noticing your breath going in, then out. 

I use a lot of guided meditations and breathing exercises. The breath is always what brings me back to the present moment, so it's good to practice. 

My current favorite guided meditation | A Meditation to Quiet Anxiety 

Often anxiety arises when we don't feel like we're able to accomplish what we need to accomplish. We can't do what we think we want to do. In Buddhism there's a notion that we are naturally awake and things like anxiety and stress may come and go, but underneath these layers of confusion we are basically good, capable, and strong.

THIS one for when you first wake up is awesome too. Or, if you're more of an evening person, try THIS one 

My favorite breathing technique to calm my mind and help me sit and focus | Alternate Nostril breathing for Meditation

Alternate nostril breathing is a great type of yoga breathing for beginners to meditation. Learn how to do alternate nostril breathing with tips from a yoga instructor in this free yoga lesson video. Expert: Jennifer Kostel Bio: Jennifer Kostel is a Yoga Alliance Certified RYT® 200. Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC