How To Use Meditation To Get Through The Winter?
Introduction:
Many of us may wake up later, leave our homes less, and lose motivation during the gloomy, chilly winter months. Making mental health a priority and turning to meditation for its mood-enhancing advantages may be helpful because these months are probably going to feel longer and more stressful than the seasons with more sunshine.
A PhD, scholar on Happiness Studies, argues that meditation "provides an island of sanity in an otherwise chaotic and tumultuous universe."
Numerous Well-Known Health Advantages of Meditation:
• More information on how to use this tool to get through the challenging winter months is provided by mental health and meditation professionals.
• Although there are many methods worth trying, mindfulness meditation is highly advised for reducing anxious thoughts, enhancing mood, and managing stress. The best part is that you can apply this method at any point during the day.
• The four main principles of mindfulness meditation are explained, along with how they might benefit your everyday practice.
1. Permit the Focus of the Mind to Remain on One Thing:
Any physical position, body experience, speech, visual indication, sound, or even another person could be the object. We start to perceive clearly when we rest our minds on something without trying to alter it or criticize it—just observing it with kind curiosity.
2. Focus Once More:
Continuous focus is not necessary for mindfulness. When we notice that our attention is wandering, we should return it to whatever is currently the focus of our meditation.
3. Deeply Inhale and Exhale Slowly:
Breath is frequently the cornerstone of a practice, even though this isn't true of all meditation techniques. Breathing deeply, slowly, and gently allows for beneficial change.
4. Exercise Acceptance and Non-Judgment:
To successfully meditate, you must let go of your expectations. There are no demands that you be serene, joyous, or concentrated. Give yourself permission to be human while meditating. Life can be made simpler by adopting the airy and soft nature of a relaxed breath.
It doesn't matter, if you were able to focus for 20 minutes without being interrupted, or if your thoughts frequently and suddenly wandered, or if you were preoccupied for 15 minutes straight. "There is only meditation, there is no good or bad meditation."
Keep Meditating To Gain More Advantages:
A skill that should be developed is meditation, much like writing, jogging, or cooking. You get better the more you practice. But keep in mind that excessive practicing can result in burnout.
The goal of meditation is to help you become more aware of your current location, bring you back to the present, and help you center yourself. If you've never meditated before, start out cautiously and keep in mind that both short and long meditation sessions have their advantages.
As suggested beginning with just five minutes every morning and spreading out your meditation practice over a long period of time in small, manageable sessions. You can gradually extend the duration of your sessions and even up the number of sessions you complete each day as it becomes a habit.
According to Dr. Ben-Shahar, "ten minutes a day, or even three minutes occasionally, can go a long way in resetting our neurological system."
Construct Sustainable Practices:
Anyone can meditate at anytime and anywhere, although various people have different practices. If you're new to meditation, pay attention to your body and be patient with yourself since what works for someone else might not work for you.
These recommendations may be useful if you're starting a meditation practice or trying to make improvements to your current one.
Pay attention carefully
We can just concentrate on the sounds around us since meditation is present-moment awareness. According to Dr. Ben-Shahar, we might view them as the focus of meditation rather than as distractions.
Silently wait
Paul Greene, (PhD), advises scheduling your meditation session for when you won't be interrupted. When things are chaotic at home, it makes sense to want to relax, but he thinks meditation isn't the best practice at that moment. Wait till everything is quiet and you are certain that you will be alone for some time.
Observe your breathing
The breath is essential to meditation and stress reduction. Dr. Ben-Shahar advises taking calm, quiet, gentle breaths in and out, preferably through the nose and all the way to the belly.
Do not meditate excessively
While excessive meditation can be harmful, it is nevertheless good to practice occasionally. Dr. Ben-Shahar claims that by practicing meditation for just 10 minutes each day, you can alter your brain's structure, thereby enhancing your general wellbeing.
Test out guided meditation
Numerous internet meditation recordings or movies are available for free. Additionally, you can download an app like Sattva, Calm, or Headspace. According to Dr. Greene, they can be useful when you're just starting out, but you'll gain more from meditating by yourself.
Although Dr. Ben-Shahar asserts that meditation can reduce stress levels, it's crucial to understand that stress is not a problem in and of itself. In fact, stress can make us stronger, more resilient, and healthier. Just remember to provide healing time.
Dr. Ben-Shahar advises us to consider working out in the gym to stress our muscles. By doing this, they become stronger. However, when there is no recovery, we suffer harm. He says that in order to benefit, recovery is important, and meditation gives us the necessary recovery.
Suggestion:
There is no one-size-fits-all method of meditation, but you'll benefit most from a regular routine. You can still benefit from meditation even if your mind wanders from your selected concentration or when you have less time.
This winter, pay attention to how you're feeling. If you're developing a regular meditation routine but are still dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety, think about using additional self-care techniques like individual or group counselling. Although it should be used as a tool for mental wellness, you have other options as well.