Eliminate Stress Through Meditation

By: Madeline Archambault
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Meditation might seem like something that is reserved specifically for people who are spiritually enlightened, or people who have a lot of time on their hands. Alas, that is no longer the case! Everyone is meditating now, at least it seems that way. Meditation is a great way to center yourself and to let yourself truly relax. Don’t think you can do it? Think again.

    BENEFITS:

• Stress reduction
• Antiaging
• Increased concentration
• Stronger immune system and overall better health

The problem for most people is that they simply can’t find the time or can’t figure out how to do it. Meditation does take practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be happy you started. So, how do you get started? You don’t need to meditate for an hour right off the bat, in fact, you probably won’t even be able to do that. 

“If you are just starting out, I recommend you meditate for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes every day. You can start with even less. Maybe try it for 1 minute in the morning. And when you can sit still and relax for that long, move to 2 minutes. And then you keep increasing your time as you get comfortable with the practice,” said Morgan Dix, cofounder of AboutMeditation and The OneMind Meditation podcast, in an article he wrote for DoYouYoga.com.

Starting off in smaller increments will allow you to get used to mediation and eventually move up to a longer period of time. You might be wondering how exactly do I meditate? What am I supposed to do? The truth is, it’s different for everyone. Some people like to chant quietly, others like to be silent. However, it’s always important to let your mind and body relax. Here are five simple steps to meditation provided by Gaiam Life:

1. Sit or lie comfortably.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Make no effort to control the breath; simply breathe naturally.
4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage and belly. Make no effort to control your breath; simply focus your attention. If your mind wanders, simply return your focus back to your breath. Maintain this meditation practice for 2–3 minutes to start, and then try it for longer periods.

This might be difficult for beginners, but the more you practice, the better you will get. For some, apps such as OMG. I can meditate! or stop, breathe & think, will better help to guide through a meditation.
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Meditation helps you to be more self aware and helps you reduce stress by eliminating, if even for five minutes, the worries of the outside world. The benefits of mediation come mainly from the reduced stress levels one experiences from meditating on a regular basis. So go on, try meditating for a little today and make some time for yourself. You deserve it.

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Madeline Archambault is a small-town turned city-girl who has a penchant for the ‘90s, dessert foods, cats and the color pink. She is passionate about fashion, communications and magazines and is currently a Fashion and Beauty Editorial Intern at Slayed Magazine. She is excited for what the future might hold for her!

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