Did you know that you carry a potential meditation practice around with you all day long? 

If you’re wondering what we are talking about then try this, we promise it won’t take longer than a minute!

Drop your shoulders, relax your jaw, do a few gentle neck circles. Now that you’ve released some tension, start taking in a nice deep breath, slowly in through your nose. Hold the breath at the top to a count of 2, and now let that air slowly out through your mouth until your next inhale just happens naturally. 

This minute you have just spent on your own can be considered meditation. 

Many people immediately dismiss the idea of a meditation practice, blaming lack of time or believing that meditation involves lighting many candles and chanting “ommm” over and over.

While we certainly aren’t opposed to this, we do realize it can seem quite intimidating, especially if you’re completely new to the world of meditation. 

All you really need is your breath, but we’ll explain more in our latest post! So to learn some easy beginner tips along with the heap of benefits a daily meditation practice has to offer, keep reading!

Our minds like to think, think, think. This is completely normal.

However, when it feels like our thoughts are controlling us, it can soon become quite tiresome and lead to anxiety and depression. The goal of meditation is to bring you back into the present moment, again and again. 

When you are not focused on the present or lingering in the past, you will feel truly at peace. Your breath is the anchor that grounds you, especially in times of high stress and turmoil. 

Here are some of the incredible benefits of a daily meditation ritual:  

• Reduced stress levels
• Less anxiety and depression
• Increased optimism and creativity
• Better sleep 
• Enhanced confidence and self-esteem
• A memory boost 
• A strong, healthy immune system
• Healthy blood pressure
• Increased energy levels
• Less internal inflammation

A daily meditation ritual can actually keep you looking younger too!

Deep breathing helps to lower cortisol, your stress hormone, and this can lead to healthier, clearer, more radiant skin. When cortisol levels are high due to chronic stress, it can actually start to break down collagen in your skin and speed up the signs of aging.

HOW TO GET STARTED:

Following along with a guide can be very helpful, especially as a newbie. 

Insight Timer is a great choice as it gives you access to thousands of teachers and free meditations, ranging in length from just 2 minutes to an hour or more! 

We also love this meditation practice with one of our favorite yoga teachers! 

We can’t wait for you to experience the benefits of a meditation practice for yourself. It may take time to get into it and your mind may wander initially, but this is completely normal, don’t give up!