February has been a month full of emotions. I have had to deal with personal, family and health issues all at once. This roller coaster of emotions has yet to finish but one of the main things that has helped me deal with it all is meditation. Anxiety has always been a big part of my life, so I have always known what meditation is, but it wasn’t until after I finished college that I put it into practice. More often than not, I would find myself reeling into a panic attack where simple breathing and meditation techniques helped me cope. I know many people suffer with anxiety and this really isn’t as easy as it sounds. It took me about 3 years before I was able to find my peace through meditation. For this reason, I’ve decided to dedicate this Wellness Wednesday to meditation.

But, what is meditation?

There are countless definitions for meditation. As defined by the Yoga Journal, “A methodology exists within the yoga tradition that is designed to reveal the interconnectedness of every living thing. Meditation is the actual experience of this union”. What this means that we are all connected in one way or another and we can find balance and peace through this connection.

When it comes down to it, meditation can be interpreted in many ways, but to me it is “a time to quietly reflect on our inner selves”. This is the time I take to reevaluate what I am thinking about, what is creating this anxiety, and where I give myself words of encouragement. To accomplish this, I focus solely on my breathing, taking it from an erratic state to a controlled breathing technique. That is the way I use meditation to create a state of mind where I can find my peace and balance. There are 5 different ways to meditate, I advise to read this Beginner’s Guide to Meditation from the Yoga Journal as it is written by experienced yogis in the art of meditation.

Though it may be heard at first, I encourage you to practice and read more about meditation and its benefits. If you are still not convinced this is something you can do by yourself, join a beginner’s yoga class! This will definitely help you find your niche.

There are many things that are out of our control, but with meditation you can take control over your state of mind. With meditation we transform the mind into an enlightened with 4 steps through breathing.

1^st Step – You focus on your breathing by counting. After the out-breath you count to one then you breathe in and out and count to two. You do this until you count to 10 and then start again.

2^nd Step – This is where you want to subtly shift the place or where you breathe, counting before the in-breath, anticipating the breath that is coming, but still counting from one to ten, and then starting again at one.

3^rd Step – Now, drop the counting and just watch the breath as it comes in and goes out.

4^th Step – Finally, the focus of concentration narrows and sharpens, so you pay attention to the subtle sensation on the tip of the nose where the breath first enters and last leaves the body.

Follow these steps to practice your breathing in preparation to enter a meditative state.

Peace, love and Kelapo ♥

-Gabriella