Struggle to Meditate Consistently
Hi Mindfulness folks,
I am a bright penguin, but I'm not too good at meditating. I used to meditate for 15 minutes before sleep every day, but I struggled to keep this up for more than 2 weeks. Typically, I would be tempted to do other things before sleep, like listening to music and reading a book.
What are some tips for meditating consistently every day for the rest of your life? Has any of you noticed any significant benefit from consistent meditation?
Best regards,
Bright Penguin
@brightPenguin4569
Hey, Bright Penguin! I feel your struggles. I also used to have difficulty meditating every day and ended up doing other things instead. One app helped me (Simple Habit). it works with the premise that a person needs about a month to develop a new habit. I signed up to receive a reminder to meditate at a specific time and then I did it no matter whether I felt like it or not. Afterward, it became automatic for me.
I think long-term meditation has many benefits. Personally, it helped me to ease my anxiety and stress. Moreover, it helped me to improve my self-care habits in general.
@brightPenguin4569
Start with something simple (as concentration on the flame of candle) and master it.
Concentration on the top of the flame of candle in dark room, trying to think only for the flame for given period and nothing else, and step by step increasing the time for which you think for the flame. Developing one-direction-ed mind.
Also deep breathing exercises could improve the concentration.
Practice:
1. Take a deep inhale with full lungs, even the diaphragm to move forward.
2. Retention of the breathing with the air inside us. Keep it as long as you can. Increase the time with 1–2 seconds every day.
Pronounce the AUM mantra while holding the air again and again.
3. Slow exhale and small rest, and start from 1. again
Inhale and exhale to be only by the nose, not by the mouth, on empty stomach, with vertical spine
.
Deep breathing->control on prana->control on the mind (prana and mind connected).
Peace and patience development, improved health and vitality
Also deep breathing can have purifying effect and to increase the concentration - it is needed for meditation.
Best wishes for your journey of meditation (:
