As a society, we tend to idealize many practices, which in turn creates harsh criticism toward anything less-than-perfect. So is the case with meditation-- many people feel as though if they haven’t perfected the art, they should not engage with it at all.
While the image of engaging in immersive meditation while overlooking the deep blue seas of Santorini is certainly magical, it is not the be-all, end-all of meditation. Visiting the most beautiful places in the world can inspire meditation, but it is not all that meditation is. Meditation can be a major component of holistic healing.
This wellness approach recognizes the body as one unit with many parts; this means that the health of one part directly affects the health of another. Holistic healing also recognizes a clear relationship between the mind and body. Internal troubles can, and often will, manifest as external pain.
This is where meditation steps in: people who practice holistic healing recognize the endless wellness benefits of habitual meditation. Using meditation practices to improve wellness has been popular since at least the third century. Mindful meditation is a powerful tool for increasing overall health.
Meditation is not controlling the mind; it is about being aware of how it processes, and why. If you are new to the practice or wish to brush up on your knowledge, keep reading to learn more about what meditation is and why it is important to incorporate into your daily routine.
How to Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation is the art of actively quieting the mind in order to restabilize your thoughts and mood. Meditation both requires and strengthens personal awareness; in order to rebalance your mind, you must know what is troubling you or what is missing. Like most activities, it takes time, patience, and practice in order to maximize your meditation session.
However, even beginner-level meditation is known to improve wellness. The way in which meditation is practiced depends on the end goal. Are you looking for wisdom and guidance? Do you need peace or stress relief? Is introspection most important to you?
Regardless of your reason for meditating, mindfulness is at the core of effective meditation practices. You must actively pursue a calm and positive state of mind in order to truly reap the benefits of your meditation session. Mindfulness is a combination of awareness and intention.
To be mindful, you must be willing to admit all that you are, all that you want to be, and all that you need to get there. This is a task that is easier said than done-- we all have parts of ourselves or our pasts which we tend to shroud, even from ourselves. Mindful meditation, then, requires candidness and acceptance. Once you begin to address those deeper questions, you can begin to personalize your meditation practices to suit your needs.
To further enhance your meditation experience, incorporate healing crystals into your routine. Healing crystals create positive energies, and help to promote various qualities such as confidence or strength. While there are many approaches to using healing crystals, using crystals that suit the season or that enhance your mood creating powerful results.
Benefits of Practicing Meditation
Meditation practices are known to improve wellness. As a form of holistic healing, meditation alleviates both physical and mental troubles. Those who practice notice immediate and long-term benefits. It can provide relief from pain or stress. Whether you are struck with a headache or frequently suffer from migraines, taking a few minutes to meditate may ward the pain off without any need for addictive pain medication.
Long-term benefits of practicing meditation positively affect daily living. Meditation is known to improve wellness by increasing understanding of the self, reducing stress, minimizing pain, and improving focus. Habitual meditation can help to reduce brain chatter, such as anxious thoughts, even when you are not meditating.
The practice makes for a healthier and happier lifestyle, which trickles positivity into all you do. The more positive you are, the more productive your days are, which ultimately leads to success in any endeavors.
Wellness Meditation
Maybe your goal in beginning meditation is not to understand yourself, but rather is to resolve or gain relief from an ailment. While often considered a mental practice, meditation has physical effects on the body. These effects are maximized by paying attention to your chakras.
Chakras are energy centers throughout the body. Each chakra manages the wellness of a different part of the body, from the bladder and kidneys to the thyroid. By connecting with your them and identifying which ones are blocked, you can use your meditation practices to relieve physical health concerns. If you desire a better understanding of your chakras, use a rainbow chakra meditation mat!
Not only are the colors representative of the chakras, promoting active awareness of their energies, but the surface of this mat has 7 sections each filled with crystals that were carefully selected because of their vibration pairs with one of the 7 inner chakras. Whether you prefer a small or large mat, rainbow chakra mats make wellness meditation easier and more effective.
How to Start a Daily Meditation Practice
You might be interested in beginning your meditation journey but are unsure of how to begin. While meditation practices are personal endeavors, there are a few simple steps you can take to begin meditating.
Consider implementing these five suggestions to improve your practice until you are comfortable enough to develop your own routine.
- Invest in a high-quality meditation mat. Using a mat solidifies for practitioners that a serious activity is about to be completed, while also providing one of the most important components: comfort. High-quality mats also enhance the meditation experience with various technologies. We like this mat for beginners; it is infused with healing crystals, but does not require you to worry about more advanced energy therapies.
- Prioritize physical comfort as you begin meditating. If you are uncomfortable, you will be distracted by negative thoughts which will prevent complete clarity and peace of mind. It may take some trial and error to find the space in your home best suited for meditation, as well as the most comfortable body position for you. Before you begin to meditate, consider practicing feng shui in your home in order to create or improve your healing environment.
- Do not try to jump into a long meditation session-- it requires much time and patience to reach that level. Begin by meditating each day for two minutes at a time. Once those two minutes begin to fly by and the session feels too short, you can begin increasing the time length. Meditation is not about how long you can do it for, but rather how deeply immersed you are.
- Turn meditation into a daily habit by choosing a regular time for your practices. While you don’t have to declare to meditate every day from 7:32AM-7:34AM, identifying a general time will allow the art to simply become another part of your routine. Most people like to meditate in the mornings to energize and start their days, or at night to unwind before going to sleep. We recommend tying meditation to another daily habit to make the adjustment even easier; for example, if you decide to meditate after you brush your teeth each morning, it will quickly feel like a regular step in your routine.
- Pay attention to your breathing patterns while you meditate. Try to develop a natural pattern by actively counting your breaths at the beginning of each session. Breathe in through your nose for three seconds, hold the breath for two seconds; then, exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Before you know it, you will be immersed in the experience and stop counting; yet, you will have deep, regular breaths which allow for energy to rebalance throughout the body.
How to Practice Meditation and Mindfulness
Practicing meditation and mindfulness is simultaneously easy and incredibly difficult (ironic, right?). Following a few simple steps will get your meditation practices started, but it will take much time and dedication to maximize their effectiveness. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned expert, using meditation practices to improve wellness is worthwhile.
If you are still feeling intimidated by meditation, begin practicing mindfulness throughout your day. While you are doing the dishes or walking to the mailbox, let your mind clear and focus on the thoughts that come and go.
Even taking a small moment each day for metacognition will help make the transition to habitual meditation a bit easier. If you are extrinsically motivated, try incorporating other elements of holistic healing throughout your day to further push your desire to strengthen your meditation sessions.
We believe that magnetic power bracelets are an easy way to improve positive energies, while also providing a delicate reminder of the power of holistic healing. The physical and mental wellness benefits of meditation make it an activity that everyone should make a daily habit.
It takes longer to craft a cup of coffee than to complete an immersive meditation session; two minutes a day will make you wonder why you didn’t start sooner. Holistic wellbeing is just around the corner. What are you waiting for?