5 Ways To Make Meditation Easier
Photo by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash
There is no doubt that daily meditation makes your life better in every way. I have been meditating every day for 5 years now, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. Nothing has brought me greater peace, joy, and healing, than this simple ritual.
As a coach, this is the number one habit I ask my clients to commit to above all else. I know from experience, that this simple practice will be the driving force for real change in their lives. And it isn’t as difficult a task as the mind would like you to believe.
Why You’re Not Failing If You Don’t Silence Your Thoughts
It is a myth that meditation is just about quieting your thoughts. The idea that you can sit and find complete silence in your mind is a sure-fire way to feel like a failure. It’s really all about self-awareness. Meditation truly is a vehicle for discovering the self.
When we sit in meditation (or lie, or walk), with the intention of finding our peace within, we can observe our thoughts. This is self-awareness. When we can observe that we are thinking, we can be aware of the self beneath it all, which is the real us. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to notice them, because we would be them.
Identifying with our thoughts (our ego) as if they were us, is the way most of us live, for most of our lives. Yet, if we can become aware of our thoughts, we can move our lives in a better direction through presence. This is the goal of meditation. To allow our present being (our soul) to guide us through life.
Many people attempt meditation and find that it is impossible. It isn’t. It just takes surrender. It takes devotion and patience as well, just as does anything you want to create a habit out of. But if you let go of what you think it should be and just be — it is easier than you think.
Here are a few ways to make meditation easier.
Meditate immediately upon awakening from sleep. This way, your mind is still not quite fully awake, and you are more connected to your sleepy subconscious. Don’t look at your phone (unless it is to choose your meditation from an app or set a timer). Don’t watch TV, talk to anyone, or look at media of any kind. Just go right into it. This way you won’t be too distracted in thought before you begin.
Meditate at the end of a workout. Allow 5–10 minutes of time after a good exhausting workout to lie down and breathe. Often done at the end of yoga class (savasana), but this can also be done successfully at the end of any workout. When the body is exhausted, the mind is less reactive. It’s a great time to find stillness and just be with your breath and body.
Meditate at the end of a nice hot bath. After a hot bath, I like to lie on my bed and meditate. The body is in a lovely, relaxed state and it is the perfect time to foster stillness in the mind. Lie down and listen to soothing sounds like trickling water or the birds or the breeze. And breathe. Such a gift.
Choose a spot to consistently meditate in. This can be very helpful to do, as it sets an intention. You go into the bathroom and your body knows what is coming, and it prepares. If you have a spot to meditate, and you go there ritually, this will train your mind and body to find stillness easier. If it gets used to the fact that this is what happens in this space, your mind won’t fight it so much.
Meditate with nature. Whether it is listening to nature sounds on an app or being outside and listening to the birds, your nature, is nature. You will feel the resonance of your own nature when you absorb the sounds of nature. I say absorb, because we just want our ears to absorb the sounds without trying to distinguish what they are. You could also stare at a lake, a bee as it is pollinating, the clouds floating by, a flame on a candle. Tune into nature as a way of tuning out thoughts.
Don’t let your thoughts tell you that you can’t do it, and don’t let them deter you from doing it. They will try. Just let those thoughts come and go without giving into them.
Meditation is plugging into your soul with intention. Every once in a while, you will catch a glimmer of the stillness within you. This is the magic.
Every time we plug in, we strengthen that connection — even if your mind tries to tell you that this is not the case. Trust, that as you continue with this daily habit, you will begin to tip the balance in favor of your soul as your guide, rather than your ego.
It isn’t about finding ultimate silence and that’s it. It’s about connecting to your true essence and the love, peace, and wisdom that it holds. This way, you are allowing your life to unfold with greater ease.
And it will.
Thank you for reading, commenting, clapping, and I truly hope you make time for a daily meditation practice! When we all tap into our peaceful place within, we are doing our part to make this world a better place for all!