The frenzy of the holidays and the end of the year creep up faster and faster and suddenly we find ourselves overwhelmed and unsure of where our time went. A daily practice of checking in and sitting silently for even just 10 minutes can do wonders to center and ground our energy. When we are grounded and centered, we are more able to take on the multitude of mixed and heightened emotions that come hand in hand with the season.
Regardless of what technique we choose, meditation asks us to actively train our mind to focus on one particular “object,” our breath, a mantra, a sensation or a sound. When we intentionally focus our mind and continually pull it away from the broken-record patterns it is more apt to follow, we begin to calm our central nervous system. The habitual thought patterns are what keep us in states of anxiety and stress – bouncing us back and forth between past experiences and future fantasies.
Meditation has been studied and shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self awareness and increase one’s ability to focus. Improvement in any one of those areas is exponentially beneficial on a physical, social and emotional level, in all areas of our lives.
It’s true, meditation can feel like a chore, especially with the holiday glitz and drama distracting us with illusory obligations. Perhaps it makes it easier to think of it as a chore, like washing the dishes, it must be done. I like to think if it has a part of my hygiene routine. The breathe and pure awareness are the detergents that keep my mind clean. Clearing my mind on a regular basis keeps me aware of negative thought patterns so I can actively work to shift them; centering my awareness on my breath quiets the unnecessary clutter of thoughts and brings me back to myself.
Truly, it’s always a great time to start meditating, so why not start in November!
Join our upcoming Workshop:November 2nd, 1-2:30pm in Highland Park for a dynamic meditation workshop that will explore a variety of different meditation techniques.
