How to Meditate

Meditation is a great practice to center yourself and clear all those thoughts bouncing around in your pretty little head. I try to do it on the daily. You don't need to set aside hours for this, just 3-10 minutes for beginners can work wonders. If you find yourself saying "Ain't nobody got time for that" then you probably need meditation along with a vacation more than you think. If you have a lot going on, are super stressed on the norm, or battle anxiety, it's not such a bad idea to incorporate some calm breathing into your routine. Try it for a week, invest 21 to 70 minutes and see the benefits. Here's how to do it:

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Step 1: Find a quiet space:
Ideally this would be your bedroom or other place that calms you.

Step 2: Get Comfy:
You can sit in a relaxed position on the floor, cross-legged indian style or even lay down on your bed. Newbies beware, sometimes first timers fall asleep.

Step 3: Close your eyes and Focus on your breathing:
Inhale and exhale deeply. While breathing in and out, try to reduce the thoughts that are entering your head. It's VERY NORMAL to go from Breathe in...to... Duck Dynasty was funny last night... to I want to go camping... to my ex still has my camping gear... to that guy was such a prick...to oh wait.... Breathe out... to I want a donut.... and so on.
If you find yourself getting carried away in thought like Taylor Swift wandering around lost at a Metallica concert, try repeating a positive affirmation. Another idea is to focus on a certain word "Ohmm" is a popular term. Whatever works best to clear your mind of any and all thoughts and bring yourself to a place of relaxation.
After minutes have passed and it seems like a jolt as you open your eyes, then you have mastered your first successful meditation practice. You brought yourself to a deeper level of your mind and allowed yourself to relax. Congratulations. Just like with anything, the more you do it, the easier it will become. Namaste my friends.

            * Buddha inspired painting available for purchase at my online shop, StarrJoy16