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Stressed? Meditation can make all the difference...

We live in hectic times, weather you live in the city or the countryside you cannot deny that the world in which we live is an ever faster paced place. However, we are constantly being told that we need to move more. With newspapers and magazines urging us to get off the sofa and into the gym, the mere thought of exercise can be exhausting. That is because if you pressurise yourself to fit everything in by rushing from home, to work, to the tube, to the gym, to home, to the kitchen, to bed, you never actually give yourself a chance to fully experience the present. How many times do we collapse into bed, utterly drained of energy, only to lie there incapable of shutting our minds down and reaching that much-needed state of sleep? The answer is, all too often. The solution is not to swap your trainers for your slippers entirely, far from it! You might, however find a more constructive use for your sofa.

Meditation is no longer just for new age hippies. Meditation is for everyone. The health benefits are numerous, giving you a better quality of sleep, which is invaluable to your overall health, energy levels and has been proven to lower anxiety levels, which in turn has in some cases even helped to lower blood pressure. Peace of mind is something that cannot be bought; the benefit of meditation is that it is completely free!

Although meditation is a solitary experience, it can be practiced in-group situations. It is something that could greatly strengthen family bonds. Imagine being together not glued to a television or shouting over each other, but really BEING together by really connecting to ourselves in a positive way. Children as well as adults suffer from information over-load which can lead to stress. We are constantly bombarded with advertising telling us what we need to buy in order to be happy and successful in life, and although it is healthy to strive for the best that life has to offer, it is also important not to forget that happiness and peace of mind is what fuels success.

So how do you meditate? It’s really very simple. There are no hard and fast rules either. All you need to do is allocate some time out of your day, this can be as much time as you want but you may find that it’s better to build up the amount of time gradually. Your first time could be 15 minutes. Now find yourself a quiet spot where you will not be disturbed, put a cushion or a yoga mat on the floor and sit cross legged, with your palms on your knees (if you find it difficult to sit in this position you can sit on a sofa or hard backed chair). Now simply breathe through your nose, concentrating on feeling your breath on your top lip. If your thoughts start to creep in just acknowledge them and bring you focus back to your breath. Your mind will wander, but do not give up! Meditation takes practice, and practice brings peace of mind, the more piece of mind you have the happier you will be.