Meditation! You are probably thinking that you are too
old to learn new tricks and meditation is too hard or you don’t believe in
messing with your mind. Well, wrong…it
is your mind and you can mess with it if you want to. Meditation has its roots in Buddhism but it is
not a religious practice. It is a
discipline that anyone, regardless of religious belief, can utilize.
It is said that medication
can help improve concentration, decrease muscle tension, promote relaxation,
alleviate depression and even ease arthritis pain.
Well, that sounds like a
senior thing to me, so why not give it a try.
We are so used to multitasking that ‘turning off our mind’ is not an
easy thing to do. It will take time and
it will take practice. Neither age nor health status is a deterrent when it
comes to learning how to meditate.
Your goal is to meditate for
an hour a day but it is okay to start small and take five-ten minute meditation
breaks throughout the day.
·
Focus on one
thing: Counting your breaths or
repeating a word will help keep your mind from wondering. Select a word that makes you feel calm and
relaxed and repeat it with every exhalation.
·
Forget the
clock: Sit quietly, focus on your
breathing and repeat that calming thought for as long as you are comfortable.
·
Don’t be
discouraged if everyday distractions creep into your mind. It is okay to say ‘oops,’ and redirect your
focus.
·
Be
consistent: You need to keep doing it to
get results. Your goal should be a daily
session. If you can’t sit still for any
period of time without feeling guilty it is okay to meditate wherever you are.
·
Focus: One simple guideline—focus your attention on
something specific like a candle light or a simple mantra. The idea is to get
over stressing about you “to-do” list.
It doesn’t matter how many times you have to redirect yourself, the idea
is to learn how to steer your thoughts away from busyness and learn how to
quiet your mind.
The
idea is intriguing but you just can’t stop thinking thoughts like “why am I
doing this,” or “I have so much to do,” or “I hurt so much.” Do not despair. You may find that it is easier if you join a
class and have an instructor guide you through the learning process. If it is something that you would rather do
alone you will enjoy using a guided meditation audio. My favorite is Guided Meditation by Kelly
Howell. You are so busy concentrating on
the soothing words and visualizing a walk through a meadow that you don’t even
realize that you are not stressing about your pain or your busy schedule. Believe me, you will feel amazing when you
finish your session.
Comments