By Dana Jean Costantino
As we approach a full year of life under Covid restrictions, many of us are beginning to feel fatigued. Fatigued from not being able to be as social as we once were, from video conference calls rather than in-person meetings, from taking on roles that we weren’t playing at this time last year, from lack of travel. In short, we are seeking ways to feel like ourselves in a world that looks different now and may continue to for the foreseeable future. Meditation and self-care are some of the best ways that we can have control of our inner peace and happiness when so much of the day-to-day of our lives seems to be out of our control.
Many people tend to feel scared of meditation, with the common excuses being “I can’t meditate, I can’t clear my head” or “I can’t meditate because I can’t sit still” or “I can’t meditate because I don’t have the time.” Let’s face it, we all have the time. We all have the time to take three to thirty minutes at some point during the day or night to ground ourselves and place importance on centering and healing and loving oneself.
As an introduction to meditation I always suggest just starting with three minutes. This can be done sitting up in a chair, laying down in your bed or even while you are in the shower or sitting on the subway. Close your eyes and place both hands on your heart. Begin to take note of your heartbeat and your breath. Taking deep breaths in and out, begin to align your heartbeat with your breath. Let them become one.
The next step is to select a personal mantra. It can be something as simple as “I will love myself” or “I will find time to be gentle with others.” Whatever you choose, begin to repeat it to yourself silently as you breathe in and out. This will help you to manifest the idea and turn it into a reality. As you breathe it in, it is becoming one with you and as you breath it out, you are putting that intention into the world around you.
Begin a daily practice and add an extra minute each day of the week if you can. See where this takes you. If you find that you have a difficult time moving past the three minutes, do not be hard on yourself, three minutes is great! If you are adding a minute each day and loving it, continue to do so and add new mantras.
I wish you the best of luck on your meditation journey. It will be well worth it, especially these days. If you are interested in learning more about meditation or in scheduling a one-on-one guided meditation session with me, please be in touch. I would love to help you on your self-care adventure.
danajeanyoga@gmail.com
917-693-4234
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