Not many people try out meditation because it’s just not a sexy sell. Coming from a fitness background, I’m aware how much easier it is to ‘sell’ fitness. People love to talk to me about exercise, their macros and their gym routine; they love to ask me about glute building exercises, how to cut and bulk, how to shrink their waist… the questions and interest in body shaping are endless. Meditation questions on the other hand? Not so much.
Nevertheless, I am still going to continue to bang on about it, because right now, we desperately need meditation. We need to be mindful of how our actions, words and thoughts are impacting this planet. We need to heal ourselves, we need to care for and love the earth which gifts us so much, we don’t need another glute routine or a skin care product — what we need is to tap out of a consumer culture that preys on our low self worth, we need to give up our quest for status, power and aesthetic perfection; not to be dramatic but the survival of our home depends upon it.
Now getting real here. If you’ve never meditated before or you’ve tried but given up I understand you. I remember my first time meditating. My uncle brought me to a Buddhist monk with a bunch of strangers. We sat in a room facing him in complete silence for what felt like hours; it was probably 30 minutes. It was hell. I was so bored. I kept opening my eyes to check if everyone was actually still doing this, ‘how are they doing this!’, my mind was racing. I couldn’t wait to get out of there.
There is only one way to get good at meditation; it doesn’t matter if you have an overactive imagination, if you’re anxious or if you’re super busy; everybody can meditate, and everybody can become an expert: all it takes is consistent practice. I quit the gym for a year and replaced it with meditation. You don’t have to be as extreme as me (or you could — yay for mania!), you could start with joining us in the meditation challenge that begins on Monday. Every day for the whole of March, I’ll be sharing my meditation practice on Instagram stories to inspire you to do the same; 10 minutes a day for 31 days. Never tried before? Read below to get started:
The Technique: Posture, breath and witness
Posture: The best posture for meditation is one that is comfortable and allows you to remain alert and focused - you don’t want to fall asleep!
Sitting on a cushion: You can use a small pillow or cushion to support your hips and keep your spine straight. Your knees should always be lower than your hips, so this is where the cushion may help.
Sitting in a chair: If sitting on the floor is uncomfortable for you, you can sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground and your hands resting on your lap.
Kneeling: Kneeling with a cushion or mat under your knees is another option. You can sit back on your heels and keep your hands on your lap.
Lying down: Although it's not recommended for beginners as it's easy to fall asleep, lying down can also be an option if you're dealing with back pain or any other physical limitation that prevents you from sitting.
Breath: The most beneficial way to breathe is via deep diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, which activates the relaxation response of the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system to reduce tension in the body.
Place your hand on your belly: Place one hand on your belly and the other hand on your heart. This will help you focus on your breathing and ensure that you are breathing from your diaphragm.
Inhale deeply: Take a slow, deep breath through your nose, filling your lungs with air. As you inhale, feel your belly expanding and pushing your hand outwards. Try to keep your chest as still as possible. Your belly is expanding like a balloon inflates.
Exhale slowly: Exhale slowly through your nostrils, feeling your belly contract against your spine and your hand move inwards. Try to exhale all the air out of your lungs. Your belly is contracting like a balloon deflates.
Witness: The witness is the part of our consciousness that observes our thoughts and experiences without getting caught up in them. Cultivating the witness during meditation is a way to develop greater self-awareness and detachment from the ego.
As thoughts arise in your mind, simply observe them without getting caught up in them. Imagine that you are watching your thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky, without trying to hold onto them or push them away.
As you continue to observe your thoughts, try to identify the part of yourself that is doing the observing. This is the witness. Notice how the witness is separate from your thoughts and emotions, and how it remains calm and detached even as thoughts come and go. I like to imagine the witness as the blue clear sky.
If you find yourself getting caught up in your thoughts or emotions, simply return your attention to your breath and start again.
Tips to make the most out of your meditation practice
Set up a relaxing space: Make it into your comfortable safe space, so that when you enter this space you feel a sense of peace and calm for what will ensue. Light a few candles, say a prayer, maybe you have a little shrine or alter, whichever helps you get into your zone.
Make it part of your morning routine: Set aside 10 minutes of your day, I find the morning is the best time to meditate. Get out of bed, splash your face and begin. If you leave it to late (after breakfast for example), you will be more likely to put it off for another time. Getting it out of the way first thing means you can’t make an excuse to not do it. If you have more time for more then 10 minutes, go for it!
Keep a journal: What surprised me the most about meditation was that things come up. It’s a bit like raking the leaves in your garden, once you rake the leaves you can see what’s underneath the leaves and there might be some stuff there that you’ve been avoiding or repressing.
Most importantly: You’re not a failure for losing yourself in thoughts. You’re going to have thoughts. Expecting yourself to stop thinking is akin to thinking you can stop your heart from beating.
Remember, I’ll be posting to my Instagram stories everyday to share my meditation practice so if you’d like to follow along or share your journey with me I’d love to see your progress. Good luck!
Warm hugs,
Madalin xx