by Emma Grace Brown: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may feel like your stress levels are higher than ever before.
What can you do to find some relief? You can cultivate inner peace by committing to meditation on a daily basis. Here’s how to begin your meditation practice at home.
Learn About the Benefits
Perhaps you don’t feel very motivated to start meditating, even if you do feel stressed and worn down by the pandemic. But learning more about the benefits might prompt you to give it a try! According to We Know Yoga, meditation can help to soothe your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which allows you to feel more relaxed while you’re awake and sleep better at night. And during times like these, we all deserve to relax!
Set Up Your Space
Where should you meditate? It can be hard to find a space, especially if you live in a crowded household! Start by decluttering and deep cleaning your home to make the environment feel fresh and vibrant again. Sometimes, cleaning each room can relieve the tension in your household. Plus, leaving the windows open will bring in some positive energy! Find a corner where you can enjoy some peace and quiet. You may want to purchase a comfortable meditation cushion or mat.
Your First Session
You’re just about ready to meditate — but you might be wondering what to do during your first session. Anyone has the ability to meditate, but if you’ve never tried it before, you may feel a little confused. Crestfox recommends sitting down in your designated meditation space, positioning yourself with your back straight, closing your eyes, and simply focusing on the rhythm of your breath. Set a timer for about ten minutes at most so that you get an idea of how it feels. In the future, you can sit for longer sessions!
Other Healing Practices
What if you want to look beyond meditation and try other tactics that can improve your mental and physical health? Consider using plant medicines like essential oils for aromatherapy! Essential oils are sourced from plants that have been cold-pressed or steam distilled. These oils have potent therapeutic qualities.
It’s easy to enjoy aromatherapy at home — all you need are a few essential oils and a diffuser. With just a few drops of oil, you can completely transform the atmosphere in a room. Aromatherapy can help you let go of anxiety, fall asleep more easily, and feel more energized.
Simply taking time away from work can improve your mood and reduce stress levels as well, especially if you’re an overworked manager or business owner. Taking short breaks and going for a walk, using your vacation days, and establishing boundaries can help you lower stress.
Go Further
Maybe you’ve been meditating for a while, and you’re ready to take your practice to the next level. What can you do to get more out of each session? StyleCraze recommends spending some time thinking about everything in life that you’re grateful for before you start your meditation timer. You could also write down a few intentions or affirmations that you want to reflect on while you meditate.
You may want to consider doing yoga before you meditate. Moving your body beforehand can help you focus your mind when you sit down for a session! Yoga does not have to be physically taxing – a few simple poses will have a positive effect.
Meditating on a regular basis can slowly change your life. You may not notice the benefits overnight, but as you continue to meditate, you’ll find yourself feeling calmer on a day-to-day basis. With consistent practice, meditation will become an essential part of your routine, and it can change your perspective on this pandemic.
Bio: Emma Grace Brown lives her life by her rules; and it works! When she’s not snuggling puppies, Emma promotes female empowerment through her website. Her mission is to help those who live with self-doubt to realize they don’t have to mold themselves to conventionality.
