“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” – Joseph Campbell
By now it is likely that you are aware that a regular meditation practice offers numerous health and wellness benefits including lower stress and anxiety. However, despite our best intentions, we don’t always make time for meditation and before we know it weeks and months have gone by without a single practice. This first month of the new year is a perfect opportunity to begin or reestablish a mindfulness meditation practice.
It is good to keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to sit for a full hour or even 20 minutes if that’s not currently feasible. Begin with 5-10 minutes first thing when you wake up or shortly before bed, then build up to 20 minutes or more as you become more experienced. Below are 3 ideas for giving our practice a boost
Create a sacred personal space in your home. Choose a quiet corner of your living room or other space where you can meditate each day. Setup a cushion or blankets, as well as a few items of significance to you. This could be a picture of loved ones, a mantra or quote that resonates with you, a candle, and/or a stone or jewel of significance to you. What you choose is not so important as setting up space where you can meditate and feel relaxed. Make sure this is a spot you’ll pass frequently throughout the day so that you’ll be reminded to practice.
Sign up for a meditation class. If you want to benefit from the guidance of an experienced teacher, sign up for a local meditation class or workshop. Not only will this ensure you are committed to a regular practice, but the insights you’ll gain will support your personal home practice as well.
Read a good book about meditation. There are many books about meditation so spend some time browsing to find one that speaks to you. Pema Chödrön and Sharon Salzberg each have several books that are practical and make mindfulness easy to understand and apply to our modern busy lifestyles.
Meditation instructor Alice Lash offers mindfulness meditation in Miami. Contact Mindfultime if you’d like to learn more about mindfulness meditation.
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