Struggling with Meditation?

I have a personal meditation practice and I try to do it everyday if possible; but like most normal human beings some days meditating is a struggle. Quieting the mind and letting go of the constant internal chatter is not always easy but very worthwhile both mentally and physically. Research has shown that quieting the mind has a dramatic effect on the hormonal systems. Stopping panicked and rushed thinking allows our body to slow down or stop our ” fight or flight response” which is beating our brain and organs down and causing us to gain weight. Very few of us are actually in a state of emergency twenty-four hours a day yet many function as though our house is on fire for no real reason other than it has become a habit. As we all know habits are hard to break, but just like bad habits a good meditation practice can become a powerful positive habit as well.

When you allow your mind to slow down, your brain and your body get the chance to reboot. Just like your computer, your cell phone and any other electronic gadget, the brain needs the opportunity to reset itself and start fresh. Meditation is that reboot process that your brain and body so desperately need to restore all of our systems to their most optimal functioning.

At our Hyp-Yoga Studios many students admit being inconsistent or nonexistent in their personal meditation practices outside the structure and quiet of a class.  We utilize hypnosis and guided meditations in our classes to help establish patterns and to form new neural pathways that allow the mind to go quickly and easily to a quiet relaxed state. It’s bliss made easy!

To establish a meditation practice at home try the following tips:

1. Meditate first.Do not check your email, go on Facebook ,Twitter or a social media site before meditating. It is a black hole that will pull your thoughts in a million directions that are of no real benefit and will drain you of energy and time.
2.  If you struggle to quiet your mind use a guided meditation to establish your practice. There are many options available to help you on your journey; CD’s, podcasts, You Tube, and Hyp-Yoga audio classes are all readily available and inexpensive.
3.  Do not sit in a cross-legged yogi position if it is miserable for your body. Being physically comfortable takes distraction and pressure off the mind, and that is a good thing. There are no rules when it comes to meditation, so start in a sitting or lying position that feels good to your body and that you can stay in for several minutes without falling asleep.
4. Try a mantra to help keep your mind focused on something consistent. The mind wants to wonder off by nature so a mantra allows you to use the words to bring your thoughts back to a neutral state. Try something simple like “I am” or “All is good”.  The brain loves simplicity so don’t make it more complicated by memorizing something that feels too long and burdensome to remember.
5. Self-hypnosis is another form of meditation. If you struggle with traditional meditation use a hypnosis CD or recording to train your brain and establish new neural pathways more easily.
6.  Don’t say “I don’t have time to meditate”. Even five minutes of meditation is highly beneficial. A song is usually three minutes long so if you have time to listen to two just songs you have time to meditate. Most of us have the time; we just don’t take the time. Make meditation a priority!

Namaste,

Kim Isherwood

For more information on hypnosis or meditation visit our website www.hyp-yoga.com or join us at one of our live classes!