How-to: meditate

If the chaos and grind of running the rat-race has you all wound up, meditation could be the perfect way to help yourself unwind. Meditation helps to free the mind, giving you the ability to think clearly and calmly and it’s thought to be a powerful tonic for soothing the spirit and improving your emotional wellbeing. Here’s how to do it…

Meditation classes
There are a variety of meditation classes that can take you through the techniqiues for relaxing your mind and chances are, there will be one on offer at your local community centre – so a great way to get started is to sign up with a friend, then once you’ve perfected the techniques in class, you can take them home and put them into practice.

How to meditate
If you don’t have the time to try a class to learn how to meditate, you can have your own meditation session at home. Here’s what you’ll need:

–Meditation music: most music stores excerpt music that has been specifically designed for meditation. Meditation music is a soothing type of music that often contains natural sounds like the chirping of birds or the pitter-patter of rain, which can help to relax your mind.
–Scented candles: soft lighting has an instant calming effect on the mind so candles are ideal for setting the scene for a meditation session. Certain scents such as lavender can also have a similar effect, so opt for scented candles where possible.
–A quiet space: it’s important to remove yourself from distractions if you want to reap the true benefits of meditation, so turn off the TV and put the kids to bed first.

Step 1
Sitting cross-legged in a warm, comfortable space lit with scented candles and filled with the faint sounds of your soothing meditation music, close your eyes and allow your mind to clear. If you struggle to be free of distracting thoughts, try imagining writing them down on a piece of paper then screwing up the page and throwing it away.

Step 2
Imagine a peaceful scene. Visualise yourself on a warm, golden sandy beach or floating in a boat in the middle of a clear, calm ocean. Try to really create a clear picture in your mind, taking note of the sights, sounds and textures round you.

Step 3
Concentrate on the sound of your breathing, taking slow, deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth while visualising your calming scene. Relax for as long as you need. The better you become at visualizing your scene and controlling your breathing, the more relaxed your mind will become.

Check out how you can use candles to meditate…

Need help finding your inner peace? Take a look at our meditation tips…