You’ve heard that meditation is the quintessential method for reducing symptoms of stress and bringing a sense of calm and connectedness to your life, but you just don’t know where to start.

Maybe you feel like it’s too intimidating or your mind is just too busy to ever be able to relax.

In today’s post, we’re reviewing a few simple steps to help busy women, just like you, get started with a meditation practice.

Meditation Basics

What is Meditation?

Before we get started, let’s review some meditation basics.

To put it simply, meditation is a way for your mind to turn inward and focus only on your consciousness, or higher-self, instead of focusing on outside, external factors, like the world around you, physical sensations, or even thoughts.

The experience of “sitting” in this absolute stillness can be quite spiritual.

Being able to let go of distractions and outside stimuli is also what makes meditation such an ideal relaxation technique.

Benefits of Meditation

The benefits of meditation as a relaxation technique are numerous. Some of these include, improved:

• Stress management
• Resilience
• Mindfulness
• Patience & tolerance 
• Compassion
• Attention and memory

All the qualities a busy mom needs, right?

The Science of Meditation

For more information on meditation check out this interesting article around the science of meditation: https://www.mindful.org/10-things-we-know-about-the-science-of-meditation/

Meditation May Not Be Right For Everyone

It’s important to note that some people may experience increased stress or anxiety during a meditation practice, so if you anticipate this happening to you, or you find that during a practice you begin to experience distress, stop and talk to your healthcare provider about alternative relaxation methods.

Meditation Practice

When you think of a mediation practice — what does it look like?

Are you picturing someone sitting in a perfect lotus pose, sitting out in nature or before an alter, perfectly at peace with themselves and the world around them, while communing with the divine?

Sure, that sounds like a wonderful goal for your practice, but it probably won’t look like that — for a long time — and it doesn’t need to.

Instead of having a visual goal, try looking at your meditation practice as a reflection of you and your current life.

What resonates with you? What will feel the most comfortable?

Simple Tips For Starting A Meditation Practice

1. Block Out The Right Time For You

Your first step is to find a time to practice every day. It doesn’t have to be at the same time every day, but making this a daily (or at least regular) habit will benefit your practice in the long run.

Depending on your schedule your meditation time can be as little as 5 minutes or as much as 60 minutes.

Start small and work your way up to an amount of time that works for you.

Choose the Right Time

Meditation is easier when your mind is calm, like when you first wake up in the morning or before before bed. This is a great place to start if you have a very busy mind.

While taking time to meditate during hectic times of the day will be more challenging, the reward will be sweeter.

Just think of those meditation sessions like a hill workout for your mind.

Do Not Disturb

Your meditation sessions should be guaranteed uninterrupted time.

Not during nap time (unless you have a champion napper) or while your child is playing independently. You need to be able to let your guard down and that won’t happen if you are worried someone will wake up or come barging in.

Also, make sure the other members of your household know that you are not to be disturbed during this time.

Set An Alarm

Give yourself the freedom to relax and let go by adding the structure of an alarm clock.

Maybe that sounds odd, but by using a tool to tell you when to start and when to stop, you’ll take away some of the distraction or anxiety of tracking time. 

Just make sure you choose a sound or tune that is peaceful and quiet. Getting startled out of meditation can be quite jarring. You can also ask someone to gently let you know when your time is up.

If you’re using your phone as an alarm, make sure it’s set to “Do Not Disturb” or “Airplane Mode” so you will not be disturbed by alerts, messages, or calls.

2. Use Tools To Support Your Practice

Traditional forms of meditation involve just you and your consciousness, but this can be intimidating and difficult for someone just getting started. Especially if you have a hard time “turning-off” your brain.

Guided Meditation

A guided meditation involves a narration of some kind, with the speaker gently giving you direction.

Some of these practices have specific intentions to help you focus on a specific challenge or feeling. Check out the video at the end of this post.

I have been using the Fragrant Heart free audio meditations for years. They offer lots of different focuses and include meditations with or without music.

Music

Adding music to your practice can also help your mind focus and bring your body to a place of relaxation, aiding your ability to let go of thoughts and sensations.

Not all music is created equal when it comes to meditation. Choose tunes that are soothing and promote relaxation.

Check out this site all about using music for relaxation: https://theconversation.com/anxiety-a-playlist-to-calm-the-mind-from-a-music-therapist-121655 

3. Adjust Your Expectations & Keep Practicing

It is imperative that you let go of what a “good” meditation practice should look like.

• Do not expect to feel perfectly comfortable and peaceful when you first start. Don’t be surprised if you are uncharacteristically twitchy or itchy. That’s OK.
• You may be flooded with random thoughts that you have to mentally swat away like flies. That’s OK.
• You may spend your whole session worrying that your time is almost over and that you won’t get to enjoy it. That’s OK.

Meditation Takes Work

It’s not as simple as sitting and letting your mind go blank. Thoughts will inevitably pop into your mind. You may get frustrated or angry that it keeps happening.

Detach your emotional reaction to what happens during your session.

• If you’re nose itches — scratch it.
• Let the thoughts come — notice and gently release them.
• Remove your expectations — just observe.

Try making the goal of your practice to just find a little peace within yourself during a chaotic day, sort of like pressing the pause button during a movie — an action-packed, emotional drama, and psychological thriller.

Or is that just my day?

Just Keep Practicing

Meditation takes time, but it will get easier.

The idea is to just keep at it. Keep carving out this time for yourself so you can reap the long- term benefits.

There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” meditation practice.

Commit to practicing regularly and keep it scalable. Start small and simple and move to the next level when you are ready for a new challenge.

Give yourself plenty of space and flexibility. Some days may be easier than others. You may backslide with your practice. Try to keep a light and forgiving attitude.

Lastly, find a style of meditation that you enjoy. You won’t do it if you dread it.

Hopefully, you feel ready to tackle this style of relaxation and can feel confident that regardless of how your sessions go, you’re doing some good for yourself.

Do you currently meditate? Please share your experience in the comments below.

If you’re ready to give meditation a try, check out this week’s YouTube video featuring a a Guided Meditation on Love. 

---

Educational Purposes Only.

This website is created for educational purposes only and does not provide any professional advice of any kind. Professional advice can only be given with a full understanding of a client’s unique personal situation, and typically can only be given with a license. Accordingly, any recommendations, advice, or information provided on this website should be viewed within the context of general information and education. If you require additional advice or guidance, we recommend you seek out the assistance of a professional in your local area.