I’m sat writing this in the middle of a pandemic, not especially feeling my best today, but, as I’m sure we can all relate, there’s definitely up days where sometimes I forget what the hell is going on in the world (I know some of you reading this will think, how on earth does she do that….I will tell you a little later*) and others where I just feel a real sense of, how do I put it…..MEH, not the best explanation but I’m sure you know what I mean.
*I made a conscious decision to not download a news app and to be mindful of who or what I am following on social media. It may seem narrow minded, but this is what helps save my mental wellbeing. Anyway, back to the topic at hand, is meditation all that it’s hyped up to be!?…
I say YES, now first off to explain from a personal perspective…
When did I first discover meditation? My introduction into meditation was in a weekly yoga class I attended, we would practise a range of different meditations from simple breathing techniques to a full-blown half hour session of Yoga Nidra, my absolute favourite! Then, when Ellen, my yoga instructor, introduced me to the magic that is Sound Bath meditation, well, my mind was blown, and I knew I’d be hooked for life. So, upon reflection, I do have Ellen to thank for a lot, so if you’re reading this, Ellen, Thank you.
In fact, I’m just about to run off to listen to a Sound Bath meditation over on Fearne Cotton’s Instagram…
Update – It was amazing! My whole body turned into a bowl of jelly and I was left feeling completely refreshed. Go and check it out, it is absolutely the perfect place to start if you’ve never done any form of meditation before. I will link it at the bottom of this post.
How does regular meditation affect my life? It is my absolute go to tool when I’m feeling particularly anxious or just feeling a bit rubbish and let’s face it, we’ve all probably been dealing with this more so with the current situation. I can pretty much guarantee that it will give me a sense of equilibrium, just allowing myself that little bit of time to bring myself back down to earth.
It has been scientifically proven that meditation can:
- Improve memory.
- Slow down or even prevent any neurodegenerative diseases (like dementia and Alzheimer’s)
- Reduce blood pressure.
- Can sometimes be more effective than sleep!
- Effective painkiller.
And this is just to name a few.
Ok, you’ve sold it to me, where do I start? In my opinion, meditation is such a personal experience, and it can really take a bit of trial and error to find the medium that clicks; please don’t give up at the first hurdle, stick with it, do your research and you’re bound to find something to suit you.
Here’s some types of meditation/apps I recommend:
- Headspace App: A great array of meditation courses, a dedicated space just for sleep issues, workout videos, focus music, focus exercises, immersive experiences and so much more! (You can always sign up for the free trial to see if it fits). There are many different meditation apps and most of them, if not all do a free trial, so take advantage of this and try them all out to see which works best for you.
- Guided meditations: Fantastic for beginners of meditation or anyone with a busy mind that tends to work ten to the dozen. The reader will take you on a journey, almost like listening to a story but a much more immersive and self-involving experience. My favourite form of guided meditation is Yoga Nidra (also known as Yogic sleep), this form of meditation aims to take your body into a state of equilibrium. It has been said that an hour of Yoga Nidra is as restorative as a 4-hour sleep.
- Sound bath meditation: Ok, let’s get this out of the way……NO you do not lay in a bath, this may sound ridiculous (or not) but believe me, I’ve had this question SO many times. To sum it up very swiftly, during the experience, the participant is bathed in sound waves. The music does not have a catchy melody or rhythm, but instead, a carefully selected number of instruments, usually crystal bowls, singing bowls, gongs and chimes with notable resonance and overtones.
There are many forms of meditation out there. I have listed my top picks above.
I hope my guidance has helped you in some way, shape or form. Please feel free to contact myself or Jo if you want to pick our brains on the above subject anymore.
Nat.
(Fearne Cotton IGTV: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKPFEQ0gSGQ/?igshid=1gd9rvtgb17ho)