Meditation and the Ways It Can Support Your Wellness Goals
I’m sure by now you’ve heard of meditation. You’ve likely tried it out as a way to find calm and balance in your day. Whether you have a meditation practice in place or you’ve been thinking about adding this modality to your daily routine, I’m going to share more on this powerful practice and all the ways it can support you in feeling your very best.
To begin, I’ve found that many people have a very rigid view of meditation from all that we’ve seen in our external world. What I mean by this is that most people feel like meditation needs to happen in a specific way. Maybe sitting on the floor in a lotus-style position, hands resting on your knees, eyes closed, back straight, works for you. But maybe it’s harder for you to connect in this position, as this position or posture isn’t accessible. Meditation, after all, is the act of tuning into your inward self, relaxing the mind, calming the body, achieving a deeper sense of internal awareness, peacefulness, and grounding as you do. Which means, if you can better accomplish this state of being though a different pose or posture, I definitely recommend that. Often we use the wall and props like bolsters, blocks, cushions, and blankets for support or begin in Constructive Rest. Yes, Meditation can be done lying down, in a chair, in your favorite long-holding yoga asana, or even as you walk in nature. I suggest finding what works for you, what position helps you connect in the easiest, so that meditation becomes a habit you can stick with and feel good about.
So how does meditation work to promote a deeper sense of wellness? Why is it important to have as part of your daily routine? While I focus a lot on the physical body, with personal training sessions and yoga classes that work to strengthen the body and improve joint health, keeping our minds in optimal shape is just as important to feeling good. What personal training does for our bones, muscles and joints, meditation does for our minds. Physical training must be balanced out with space for meditative rest.
Meditating on a regular basis will shift the whole energy in your day. You’ll begin to feel calmer, you’ll be able to problem-solve with ease, your day will flow better, and you’ll feel closer to all the things that bring you joy. This is because regular meditation releases stress from the mind and body, it dissolves any chaotic, restless energy, and it allows you to build a strong connection to yourself. When you’re dedicating time to pause and connect in with yourself on the regular, you’ll start to notice what your heart truly desires. You’ll intuitively feel what aspects of your life feel good and what needs shifting. This kind of clarity will help you design a life that lights you up every single day.
Meditation has many benefits and and is a practice that naturally supports your wellness goals. I have found using an App and listening to guided Meditation, works best for me, but that’s me. It helps create balance in the day, reduce stress and anxiety and providing clarity on what next steps are truly good for you. It’s a tool for powerful mind-body connection, one that beautifully compliments your fitness routine, allowing you to show up for your training or class even more empowered and motivated.
Daily Meditation is also an ongoing learning experience. Sometimes I am entirely present with my breath and it’s these times when I think, finally I am going to have this experience of true presence every time I sit in stillness. But that is not what happens. Instead I often find myself not paying attention or fast forwarding to new things. The practice is not to figure out how to stay here, it is learning how to come back. Our practice actually begins each and every time we find ourselves there instead of here. We are learning to notice when we are no longer present and how to gently guide ourselves back. It doesn’t matter how many times we drift. What truly matters is that we return.
If you have any questions about getting started with a meditation practice and how to incorporate it into your regular routine, send me a message and we can create a plan that works best for you. A great place to start is by joining one of our yin or restorative classes where there is plenty of space for meditative reflection.
I look forward to seeing you there!
- Kelly