Meditation...Is it for you?

I am a meditation newbie. Although I have been a yoga instructor for fifteen years, other than a quiet short meditation during savasana, I really haven’t explored deeper meditation until this year.

Some history and information about meditation is that it has been around since about 1500 BCE. That’s a very long time and it has definitely evolved through the years. When I researched the many benefits of meditation they included and were not limited to; bringing oneself into the present moment, increasing self-awareness, decreasing anxiety and stress increasing creativity. I also found studies that concluded that meditation is supportive in managing various illnesses such as chronic pain, depression, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, insomnia and headaches just to name a few. That sounds fantastic right? But, is it actually easy to do and is it for me?

I also researched the different types of meditation and there are so many. A few meditations are; guided, insight, body scan, moving, visualization, zen and mantra meditation. When I lead my yoga students through savasanas I have included body scan, visualization and mantra meditations but that has been about the extent of it. I am excited to incorporate a few of the other types I researched once I am back in the studio teaching again!

My experience of and reason for exploring meditation is this...I am a big self development junkie! I love to listen to podcasts, read self improvement books and I love EQ trainings. Recently, while engaging in these various platforms the practice of mediation has continued to come up, so I thought I would dive into it further for myself. (My new personal practice started in January of this year) I decided that I would try meditating for five mins every day after I exercised just to see if it was something I would enjoy and find beneficial. I was also told by my massage therapist that I needed to stretch more so I decided to incorporate stretching into my meditation routine as well (I’m a big multi-tasker and that’s a whole other blog post lol). One of the yoga certifications I am certified in is Restorative Yoga. This format of yoga is performed by holding completely supported postures for longer periods of time to promote healing. So I decided to incorporate this into my meditations to get that stretch that I needed (Example, a forward fold with a blanket or bolster under your belly or forehead for support). My result from starting this restorative meditation practice is...what started out as five minutes of holding a stretch while meditating has now turned into twenty five to thirty minutes and sometimes I feel like that's not enough! I love it so much! I use guided meditations from YouTube, the Unplug app, Beachbody and Peloton. These are all guided meditations ranging from five to thirty minutes. Sometimes I will combine two ten minute meditations. This has not only improved my range of motion and muscle soreness but has also given me emotional support, a renewed outlook, confidence and a worldly-wise perspective. I highly encourage you to explore different types of meditation. Google and Youtube are a wealth of information. On a personal level my friend Megan Boissiere also has a few meditations on her Youtube channel check them out.

Another friend, Chel Hamilton, has amazing ten minute mini meditations check out her web page.

I’ve had so many people ask me about meditation, how to start, what type to do, how long it should be done. My answer is to research and decide what type resonates with what you are looking to get out of the meditation. Is it stillness you are looking for, movement, motivation, comfort, healing or inspiration? And go from there.

I hope by sharing what has worked for me will help you find what works for you if you decide to start a meditation practice. I would love feedback about your meditation journey! Have a beautiful day!

Love,

Robin