Meditation..

I remember well my first attempts at meditating, it did not go well believe me. I'd heard so many great things about how meditation can impact on your life in such a positive way, it would finally quieten down that voice in my head (affectionately named Doris). That sounded like absolute heaven to me, to not have this. constant chatter in my head which was in the main pretty negative and overall pretty unhelpful.

So I thought, yes, this sounds amazing, lets do it!! Off I went to find a meditation I felt resonated with me via various online searches. I eventually settled on a meditation app which had great reviews.

I settled down ready to listen to my first guided meditation. It was 20 minute long and about connecting to my breath and inner self. Perfect!! I could do with connecting to my inner self, Doris was constantly sabotaging me in my quest to improve my life, always telling me in what felt like a mocking voice that I was stupid, who did I think I was to think I could get that job, be in that relationship, be actually good at anything, blah blah blah blah blah!!!!! Oh shut up Doris, I am ready for some peace from you that's for sure.

So, I made myself comfortable, sat in a chair with my spine upright and ready for this inner peace I had been promised. The guide started in her lovely soft voice and I tried to focus on following the instructions. This worked well, for about 30 seconds, yes, 30 seconds before Doris was off again!!!!! Cant believe this happened today, what's for dinner, oh no I forgot to pick up some cheese, what shall I eat instead, oh and yeah going back to the beginning, I can't believe what happened today...... Oh and my back hurts, my posture is rubbish, I can't even sit upright, im such a slob, on and on and on, Doris wittered in my head.

Okay, focus, listen to what is being said, but im so uncomfortable, my back still hurts, f*** I forgot to put my out of office on.......

Sound familiar? I kinda figure that if I experience this then soooo many other people have felt the same, we aren't all that different after all. At the time, I thought it was just me and beat myself up for not even being able to do this right. So I gave up and that was the end of my meditation journey for a number of years aside from the odd equally unsatisfying attempt.

It wasn't until I went on a mindfulness course through work that I finally realised what was wrong. Nobody had told me that there were actual techniques for meditation and that its important to find what works for you. Had I known this earlier then I may have saved myself years of mental agony as Doris continued to beat me into submission with her daily attacks on everything I did or thought.

Please do not make the same mistakes I did. Do not think you can't do something that nobody has actually taught you to do, that nobody has told you to try different techniques, that you are normal. The biggest myth out there about meditation is that you have to empty your mind. Its not true guys, believe me, if you could empty your mind I would not be sat here writing this blog, I would be a millionaire. It's not actually possible to 'empty your mind', believe me I have tried!

Focus meditation is the first step of creating a meditation practice. This gives your mind something to do, that is the key, instead of trying to empty your mind, give it a task. This could be in the form of counting your breath from 10-1 or repeating affirmations, or even placing your hand on your heart and breathing in through the back of the heart and out through the front. It doesn't matter, so long as you focus on something, this is the key to beginning your meditation journey. And, when your mind drifts, and believe me, it will, its about gently and kindly bringing yourself back to the focus you have chosen for this mediation.

Try this for 5 minutes and then notice how you feel after. I can guarantee your mind will be quieter and you will feel more centred. Imagine then, doing this for 10 minutes and how this feels.

Peace and love

Nic xxx