I love that scene from the movie, Eat Pray Love, where Julia Roberts, on her first day in India, tries to meditate. After a seemingly never-ending amount of time, she looks up and sees she's only been at it for a minute--and her response is "Kill me now." BUT she keeps working her way up and, eventually, she's able to meditate for several minutes at a time.
That's your take-away. If you're just starting, it's okay if it's only a few minutes because eventually you'll work up to longer times. Deepak Chopra recently told Oprah Winfrey that he meditates for 2 hours every day. Yikes! But he hurridly said that 15 or 20 minutes twice a day is fine.
It's preferable to meditate first thing in the morning, so you'll be energized and ready for anything your day dishes out. Sometimes that just isn't possible, though, so anytime late morning or afternoon is okay. Nighttime, however, may not work; as much as meditation can energize you, it can also make you sleepy--and you just may be too tired at the end of the day. It's also probably better to sit, because if you lie down, you may doze off.
Here are 4 reasons you want to do it.
1. You're silencing the mind, increasing concentration, focus and self-awareness. You're a lot calmer and those daily challenges just seem easier to handle.
2. Less stress. You're letting go of a lot of things so, in effect, you're wiping the slate clean and starting fresh.
3. Soul Connection: I always thought there was something I wanted in my professional life, but one day while meditating I opened my eyes wide and said, "Well, that's not what I want at all! This is!"
Here's the point: We have both an ego and soul. The ego is what gives us those negative thoughts, like being critical and judgemental, and those feelings of "I should"--even if it's not at all what you want. The ego is overly analytical, somewhat defensive--and is usually wrong. The soul, on the other hand, is authentic and heart-centered, the true you.
4. It just feels good. Meditation makes you happier and healthier. I know when I meditate, it always feels like I'm taking a mini-vacation for my brain.
Still need more convincing? Check out this great video (from YouTube) where Deepak Chopra explains meditation to Oprah Winfrey's audience on her Cable Show, "Super Soul Sunday, on the OWN Network.
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About Irene: Irene Ross is a certified integrative nutrition and holistic wellness coach who helps people alter unhealthy habits so they can balance their lives.
Author of the e-book, Sugar's Sour Story, and of the forthcoming book, 25 Ways to Fire Up Your Day: Increase Energy, Get More Done in Less Time, Balance Your Life, her website is: www.irenefross.com.
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