The holiday season is in full swing and, for many of us, this is a period of high stress. Rather than deliberately setting aside time to care for our own needs, we often put the needs of our loved ones first without paying any attention to our own wellbeing.

Whether it’s the family gatherings or financial demands that have you feeling anxious, mindfulness meditation can provide a solid ground to stand on during this festive time. If you’ve been thinking about trying meditation out for yourself, now is a great time to get started.

For seasoned meditators, the busyness of the holidays can have us skipping our practice in an attempt to conquer massive holiday to-do lists. However, this is often counterproductive, as we aren’t able to give our all from a place of constant stress.

Below, you’ll find three key benefits of mindfulness meditation during the hectic holiday season, or anytime.

Mindfulness meditation…

Helps us to slow down. We’re typically going at full speed during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s from holiday parties to family dinners, and from gift shopping to end of the year work deadlines, we often forget to pause and take in the true essence of the holidays. Mindfulness meditation gives us the opportunity to pause and come back to the present moment. Although slowing down may seem unthinkable with so much to get done, by slowing down, we can see things more clearly and react in a way that is in line with our core values.

Keeps us grounded. It is easy to get caught up in doing rather than being during the holidays. The holidays can bring back many memories and we frequently spend time thinking about the past or worrying about the future. When we meditate, we are able to find comfort in the movement of our breath. We can come back to the present, again and again, no matter how many times our mind may wander, and can find complete relief in this moment. Mindfulness meditation helps us to stay grounded despite whatever chaos may be unfolding around us.

Provides a path to contentment. The holidays bring many emotional ups and downs, but through mindfulness meditation we can come to have an underlying source of contentment that doesn’t depend on any circumstance outside our own inner calm. Meditation teaches us to live in the present moment without unnecessarily escaping to the past or future. When we connect our mind and body through our breath, we cultivate a deep sense of contentment.

Wishing you peace and joy this Holiday Season.

Meditation instructor Alice Lash offers mindfulness meditation in Miami. Begin or rekindle your mindfulness meditation practice today by visiting Mindfultime.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This