The benefits of Meditation

Taking time to sit daily and meditate has shaped my life and become more important than my daily breakfast to prepare me for my day.

During my training to become a Yoga teacher, at the Ashram (residential collective community), our routine required a minimum of 1 hour’s meditation daily.

I used to think that I couldn’t meditate as my mind was always racing.   Teachers explained that we don’t sit and it suddenly disappears, we learn to observe the “chatter”, acknowledge it and then return back to a focus e.g. candle, breathe or mantra.  

Like any new thing we try, it takes practice, it doesn’t happen overnight, but it comes.   When I began my husband used to say, your not going to practice again, didn’t you do that yesterday, but within a week he was saying, “isn’t it time for you to go and meditate?”, I took that to mean that I was a calmer and happier person afterwards.

Learning to meditate requires some routine and structure to build it into daily life, you don’t need to stay for a month.   Make a commitment to sit at the same time for 17 days consistently, helps creates the habit, for some, trying a guided meditation class will allow for support and questions as you put this into practice.