Have you tried to find a moment in the day to meditate but feel like it's, well, hard?

So many people feel this way, and put so much pressure on themselves to meditate for hours, thinking that a 10-minute meditation isn't enough. And then, because of the pressure they put on themselves to do it "right" and be perfect, they end up not meditating at all!

So, while of course longer meditation sessions are wonderful, if that's too much for you, you can still meditate, feel better, and develop a meditation practice at your own pace.

Learn more about meditation, how it can help you to feel calm and more present, the benefits, and how to get started and create a daily meditation practice. 

What happens when you meditate for 10 minutes, and how can you start your own practice?

What is meditation?

First things first, what actually is meditation?!

Meditation, according to The Art of Living founder and global spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is "the delicate art of doing nothing. It is the skill to take a deep rest while being conscious and alert. Beyond all the chatter and noise in our mind, there is a silent, peaceful, blissful, beautiful space that exists in all of us, a place that is intact and unbroken. Turning our attention to this silent chamber is meditation".

Which is beautiful, so simple, but maybe harder than it might at first appear! There's doing nothing, and then there's doing nothing!

Modern meditation practices

A lot of modern and mainstream meditation techniques revolve around control and focus. Watching your thoughts, or focusing on something and engaging your mind, whereas ideally, it's a relaxation, and "ahhhhh".

Many people get mindfulness and meditation a little mixed up too. Mindfulness is a wonderful practice that can help practitioners to become more aware of their mind, their thoughts, and their internal state. It's different from meditation as where mindfulness meditation is about becoming aware of thoughts, meditation is about going beyond them.

Different meditation techniques

There are also a lot of different meditation techniques and styles, including guided meditation, loving-kindness meditation, mindfulness, and visualization-based meditation. All have benefits and while they may not be the art of doing nothing (more on how to "do", or not do, that later) they can have a beneficial effect on your life.

How do you meditate for 10 minutes? Finding time

So now that we have a better sense of what meditation is, how can you make time on a daily basis to practice meditation?

Make it realistic

Firstly, if time is challenging, aim for a 10-minute meditation practice. A 10-minute meditation is better than a zero-minute meditation! Or start even smaller if you need to. 5 minutes, or 3 minutes. Just taking some time to connect inside to your "self" and be present with yourself. You can always increase the time as you get more comfortable.

Prioritize and find time

Secondly, see where you can find the time. I can't be the only one who spends at least 10 minutes a day on Instagram and/or Facebook, or even Twitter?  Maybe next time you catch yourself getting into a mindless scroll, you can stop and put your phone down, and take a  moment in the day to slow down.

Schedule it!

Thirdly, if you're someone who prefers more structure, you could set aside some time in the day to meditate. In the morning is ideal before everything else has gotten started, but if that's not possible then finding any time that works for you, your needs, and what feels healthy for you is great. You might like to set an alarm on your phone or put it in your schedule.

Another great way to help you to make time in your day for meditation is to do it in a way that is enjoyable. The idea is to increase calm, care, and happiness through meditation, not to be stressed about if you've done enough meditation or if you're doing it right! If you prefer guided meditation, then do that! It's not a competition!

The benefits of meditation

There are so many benefits of meditation, and so many ways it will benefit your life. From mental clarity to lower blood pressure, to spiritual progression, a regular meditation practice can yield many benefits. Some physical and mental benefits of meditation include:

Mental

• Increase focus

• Improved memory

• Increased mindfulness

• Increased peace and calm

• Less mental stress

• Reduced anxiety and depression

Physical

• Lower blood pressure

• Increased immunity

• Better and deeper sleep

• More energy

• Lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone)

• Regulate the nervous system and treat PTSD

There is a lot of talk about mental health nowadays. Investing your valuable time in meditation is one of the surestes ways to take care of your mental health.  

How do you meditate for 10 minutes?

Now that we've discussed what meditation is and what the benefits are, I'm sure you're ready to get started! There are many ways you can begin with meditation, and even 10 minutes is a great start and will help you to feel calmer, more focused, and happier.

I have 2 suggestions for you today.

A guided 10-minute meditation for calm and relaxation

The first is to try this guided meditation with Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Sri Sri is a global spiritual leader and will guide you through a meditation designed especially for beginners. So just relax, and be guided by Sri Sri.

Finding the right meditation technique for you

If you are ready to develop an effective and long-term meditation, you will love SKY Breath Meditation. Finding the right meditation technique for you can be challenging, and that is why it's so good to learn from experienced teachers and to learn a specific method rather than just trying to go it alone.

SKY is an evidence-based technique, which uses the breath in your meditation practice. Doing so creates many benefits, including reducing PTSD and reducing clinical and non-clinical depression and anxiety.

If you are ready to dive in, I'm thrilled to invite you to join us for Beyond Breath, a free workshop with an expert teacher where you will be guided through a meditation and breathing technique, as well as answering any questions you have about the full SKY program.

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