Why meditate?
Research has proven that the benefits include:
improved health and well-being/increased happiness/a sense of calm
living positively in the present
a better control on urges, obsessions and desires/more self-control
a more focused and concentrated mind
better endurance/more productivity
reduced levels of stress and depression
less doubts and fears
more self-confidence/self-awareness
increased acceptance
Why New Year resolutions are hard to keep
Many people make resolutions only to find shortly into the year they don’t manifest and old habits return. This is because we set unrealistic goals and expectations without taking into account that we need to change our behaviour and brain patterns in order for them to work. For example a typical resolution is, ‘I’m going to exercise more and lose weight.’ So why do so many people hit a wall a few weeks or months into the year? The reason is that we give in to cravings and desires too easily to satisfy a momentary need. We tell ourselves I’ll eat these foods even though their not part of my diet and eat less tomorrow. I’ll exercise only once this week and make up for it next week. Procrastinating. Unless we are aware of our habitual behaviour patterns we’ll keep repeating the same old habits. We need to recycle these old thought processes and replace them with new ones. We need to rewire (reprogramme) our brain to respond in a different way.
By being mindful this helps you become more physically, emotionally and mentally aware of your inner state as each external event happens, moment by moment, rather than living in the past or future. It’s important not to take yourself so seriously and start punishing yourself when you slip from mindfulness. Simply just smile inwardly and tell yourself you’ve slipped and get back to working at your goal. No reaction, just accept it and move on.
Key principles to meditating
Going in-depth into meditation practices can be complicated so I’m just going to include here the main principles which can be applied to any activity regardless of age, ability or religion, in order to benefit the body and mind.
Go gently in the beginning and simply just focus on your natural breath going in and coming out.
This might sound mundane but it is KEY to sharpening your mind and keeping you in the present moment. You’ll be surprised how challenging this is as you observe your mind continuously wandering away from your breathing to thoughts that might not have any sequence, maybe thinking about something relating to your past or future, thoughts which are pleasant or unpleasant. Basically these thoughts need to be calmed and quietened. With continuous practice on your breathing you’ll become more focused and that monkey mind will be tamed! When your mind does start to wander just smile inwardly, take a few harder breaths and go back to focusing on your natural breathing. Practice regularly for 20-60 minutes.
Feel joy at how far you’ve gone in your activity, appreciating the given moment and enjoying things as they are (not how you wished it would have been).
Be curious about events as they occur and of serendipity (those agreeable, valuable events that happen by chance) and about any challenges that await. Example, you know there is a hill climb ahead and instead of dwelling anxiously on it, tell yourself a reaffirming positive phrase like ‘”I love hills!”
Think about how your actions benefit others. Are you a happier person to be around? Do you find yourself naturally motivating others?
Be mindful of your posture. I’ll write a separate post on this in the future.
Remind yourself that all these principles make positive lifestyle changes and are available to you at all times.
Learn to meditate by focusing on your breathing when you are not being active, e.g., sitting on the beach, sitting on a bench in a park, using public transport, at home. Learn to be still. This is an even more powerful way to meditate and calm the mind.
A little bit on running and meditation
Both running and meditation need focus, determination and a goal. But simply having expectations and setting goals can also cause anxiety and fear, which is counterproductive on our training and practice. Meditation practice trains us to let go of hopes and fears as we recognise how it stifles our potential and well-being. Instead it trains us to appreciate what we have and what we have accomplished.
Listening to music to ‘disconnect’ whilst running and feel better (a confession I used to do listening to my Spotify playlist) actually produces the opposite effect. Our subconscious mind takes over and stress accumulates under the surface as we unconsciously push on. In the end there’s a feeling of less motivation to continue. As the stress accumulates we feel worse.
Instead concentrate on breathing.
I find it also helps being prepared with some simple motivating phrases to recycle negative or unconstructive thoughts. This makes the conscious part of the brain take control, giving better motivation and less stress.
My tips for hills
Instead of running with tense shoulders, arms raised high, lowering your head into your chest and complaining that your quadricepts hurt, run tall, smile inwardly or outwardly and recycle that old thought pattern of “I hate hills! This is killing me!” for the opposite: “I love hills!”
Downhills
Think ‘smoothly and lightly.’ Be aware of your feet centering on the ground and don’t overdo it. Keep aware of your breathing. It’s an indicator if you’re overdoing it.
Keeping to the rhythm
Tell yourself “I’m doing great!” regardless of what your expectations were and “I’m strong” to get you to the finish.
