Perhaps you’re looking for an outlet away from the chaos, intensity, and stress of daily life. Maybe you’ve heard about the benefits of meditation but you don’t know where to start. Either way, your journey into meditation begins here!
Possible Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is an ancient tradition, and it’s been around for millennia for good reason. It can help us calm our busy minds, better manage intense emotions, and it can even improve our physical health. It provides an avenue for us to be more present, connect with our bodies, and regulate our nervous systems from within.
Meditation for Chronic Pain Management
I have experienced chronic pain related to inflammatory issues most of my adult life, and regular meditation (alongside therapy and some other lifestyle changes) has immensely improved not only my ability to tolerate my pain, but also release tension within my body that contributed to it. This is one way that meditation is helpful for me, and the process, benefits, and downsides will all look different depending on the person practicing.
How to Meditate: There’s No One Right Way
There is no universal definition of how to meditate “correctly”. What the practice looks like or consists of varies across cultures and our own experience. Those following yogic philosophy may prefer to sit cross-legged with their spines straight, eyes closed or open with a soft gaze. Other traditions may ask you to lie down, sit with your back against a wall, lie on the floor with your legs up a wall, etc. Whatever is happening internally is also deeply personal and subjective. A common form of meditation is to sit quietly and observe your inner state, letting emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations surface and pass by without judgment. Though this is common, it’s not required. You could also focus on your breath, follow guided meditations, or listen to music. The meditative world is your oyster!
Your First Meditation: A 5-Minute Breath Awareness Practice
- Find a position that feels comfortable to settle into, sitting or lying down.
- Set a timer for 5 minutes so you’re not checking the clock.
- Close your eyes, or let your eyelids feel heavy and gently settle your gaze somewhere close to the floor.
- Notice your breath where you feel it most. This could be in your nose, chest, or belly. Without changing it in any way, begin to watch the breath.
- For most of us, our minds will wander. This is perfectly normal and part of the process. Whenever something in the mind or body arises, bring attention back to the breath. That return is the practice.
Why Is Meditation So Hard for Beginners?
Sitting quietly with our thoughts can be surprisingly difficult, considering how accustomed many of us have become to constant stimulation. Our phones are probably the biggest culprit in overloading us with sensory data, but this also includes our jobs, relationships, children, etc. Slowing down and turning attention inward can be uncomfortable when we aren’t used to it, and sometimes, the thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations that arise during meditation can be overwhelming. Speaking from my own experience, I had tried to ignore my pain for so long that when I finally began to sit with it through meditation, it was very intense and difficult to tolerate. I definitely had to take it slow in the beginning, and it took a while to adjust.
Can Meditation Have Side Effects?
Like most things in this world, there is potential for unwanted side effects. These can include dissociation or depersonalization, emotional flooding, physical discomfort or pain, and, in rare and extreme cases, psychosis. For those with complex trauma, severe mental health issues, or chronic health conditions, I would advise using caution. If you’re looking for a practice to support trauma recovery, a trauma-sensitive approach can make a big difference. If it’s an available resource, it can be safer to navigate meditation with a licensed therapist one-on-one or in group settings.
We can also prevent negative side effects by incorporating grounding techniques into the practice. This can include certain types of breathwork, holding something textured, keeping the eyes slightly open, and of course being mindful and reflective of your mental, emotional, and physical state before, during, and after practicing.
Tips for Starting a Daily Meditation Habit
1. Start slow and small.
- Beginning with baby steps makes it much easier to tolerate meditation when you are first starting out. This will look different depending on the person, it could be 2 minutes a day or 30 minutes per week. Anything goes!
- My personal recommendation is to begin with 5-10 minutes per day of simple breath awareness. It also helps when building a new routine to try and stick to the same time every day.
2. Try body doubling.
- Body doubling is a term coined by the ADHD community, meaning using another person’s presence to help you stay accountable and achieve a task. This could look like you joining a weekly or monthly meditation group, or starting meditation within therapy.
- Having other people around with a shared sense of purpose also cultivates community and opens doors for new connections!
3. Use guided videos, audio prompts, or join mindfulness training programs.
- As mentioned, meditation doesn’t have to look like sitting in silence and trying not to think. There are plenty of modern (and free!) resources where you can find guided meditations or meditative music, my favorite being Insight Timer, which has an app and a website version.
- There are also mindfulness training programs that anyone can complete if you’re looking for more structure. Palouse Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is a free, fully online, self-led program that is based on teaching students how to maintain regular mindfulness practices (including meditation).
4. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
- Starting something new and maintaining a routine, especially within the complexity of modern life, is hard! It’s great to be accountable and to strive toward certain goals, but punishing yourself when you have a difficult time sticking to something perpetuates cycles of shame and guilt. It’s okay to try something, to fall off, to try again, or to stop altogether.
Remember, there is no perfect path in life. We all get to choose where we go. If meditation is something you find works for you, awesome! If not, that’s okay. No matter what, I wish you well on your journey.
Get Support With Your Meditation Practice
If you’d like guidance as you begin, especially if you’re navigating trauma, chronic pain, or intense emotions, our therapists can help. Best Therapies offers mindfulness-based therapy virtually or at our Chicago offices in Andersonville, Hyde Park, Ravenswood, Lakeview, and Uptown. Reach out to schedule a consultation and find a therapist who fits your needs.
Sources
Britton, W. B., Lindahl, J. R., Cooper, D. J., Canby, N. K., & Palitsky, R. (2021). Defining and measuring meditation-related adverse effects in mindfulness-based programs. Clinical Psychological Science, 9(6), 1185–1204. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167702621996340