Learning to Meditate: Finding Your Center
Life is full of distractions, stresses, pressure and worries. At times, it can feel like there’s so much going on you really can’t cope. An important skill to acquire is the ability to access your internal compass and find your center in times of stress. It’s doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, your age, culture, or values, we all encounter stressful periods, people, and situations. We all react in different ways and make our own choices. If you ever feel like you’re losing your balance and want to reset your internal alignment, there are some things you can do. The following three steps will help you find your center and get your life back into balance.
Awareness
If you’re aware that you’re off balance, then you’ve taken the first step. Only when you’re aware that you’ve lost your center can you look for ways to find it again. A good way to start every day is to take time out, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. While you’re doing this, imagine what you’re going to be doing during the day and how you’re going to handle the different situations. You should start to feel more at peace with yourself and feel better able to get on with your day.
Attention
Once you’re more self-aware, you can start to focus on what’s going on around you and your interaction with your environment. Breathing is a good way of rising above the hecticness of the moment and looking into your heart. What are your thoughts and feelings at that moment and is there anything you can do to change them?
An increasing number of people are turning to Ayurvedic healing to help them cope with the stresses of modern life and lead a healthy lifestyle. It is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Meditation is one of the most powerful tools prescribed by ancient Ayurvedic physicians. They would also prescribe certain foods, herbs, spices, and nutrients. Ashwagandha root is one example.
Intention
This is when you make a conscious decision for your future and how you plan to respond to life’s challenges. After taking the previous two steps, you may have realized that you need to remove some of the commitments from your life and concentrate on activities that are more relevant to yourself. You might have realized that you’re always rushing into making decisions and decided that you need to slow down and explore all your options before making choices. Think about how you want to feel in any given situation as it will help you be more composed and in harmony. If you can find peace, clarity and balance, you’ll be able to continue and move forward successfully.
Being able to center yourself is an important skill to acquire. It is going to help you relax, focus and be present in the moment.
