No time for meditation? Think again.....

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. With a busy schedule, we feel we have no time for meditation.

Meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. 

Breathing Meditation

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Turn off any distractions such as mobile phone/computer. You can do this sitting or lying down.

If sitting, sit upright in a chair, feet on the ground and back straight. You can place a cushion in the lower part of your back if it feels  uncomfortable. Close your eyes, or focus on a point in front of you if you wish to keep your eyes open.

Bring your attention to your navel, and breathing through the nose, be aware of the tummy gently moving out as you inhale, and falling back towards your spine as you exhale. Don't force the breath. 

Continue with this rhythm, each time trying to slow the breathing down. In your head count slowly in for 4 and out for 4. If this feels comfortable, count in for 4 and out for 6. If at any time it feels uncomfortable, just return your breathing back to normal pace and try again when you are ready. 

If you mind wanders at any point, acknowledge it and be aware this has happened. It's perfectly natural at first. Once you are aware it has wandered, just come back to focusing on your breathing. Keep this practice up for at least 2 minutes with the counting. Then continue for longer if you can, not counting with the breathes, but simply being aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out of the nostrils. 

Practice this daily. Also throughout the day, have micro moments where you stop for a minute or two, and be aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out. If you are feeling stressed, this will help calm the body and mind. You can also imagine any stress leaving the body as you exhale. Breath in calm, exhale any stress.