By Eron Vito Mazza
In this fast-paced, nonstop world, it seems if you slow down for even a moment, you will find yourself either left behind or ran over on life’s highway. But what if downshifting is what we’re naturally programmed to do? What if we are meant to take breathers instead of pushing ourselves to exhaustion?
Eron Vito Mazza
In recent years, numerous people have turned to meditation as a respite from the hectic pace of everyday life. Science hasn’t failed to notice the benefits of meditation and mindfulness either. It has been shown that a consistent habit of meditation improves blood pressure, quality of sleep and reduces stress. All of that, from just taking 5-10 minutes a day to stand still and be present.
I can hear some of you asking, “But Eron, what does it mean to be present?” It means taking a break from the news, social media and everything else that bombards us on a day-to-day basis. It’s taking a moment to feel the firmness of the earth under our feet, to feel the sun on our skin and feel the air stretch our lungs.
As someone dealing with anxiety issues, I have discovered the benefits of meditation in real time. I have been practicing this habit for over 15 years and have benefited greatly.
There are numerous assumptions that act as a barrier to people taking up this life changing practice. I’ll list a few.
“I can’t sit still for long periods of time.” Some folks think that to meditate, you have to sit completely still and not move a muscle. You are not required to spend hours in a deep trance-like state. If you choose to start this practice, start with a shorter amount of time, like three minutes. For that amount of time just sit, with your eyes closed, taking note of the things I listed earlier. Just like other things in life, start small, you don’t have to meditate like a monk on your first go at it.
“Sitting cross legged on the floor is very uncomfortable for me,” or “I can’t sit on the floor.” Same here, If I tried that, I’d still be sitting on the floor with many assuming I had gone missing as my body isn’t that flexible. Fortunately, there are numerous types of positions you can take to remedy this, and it also shows how accessible meditation is! There are walking meditations that emphasize being mindful and appreciative of your surroundings. These are really good for evening walks around the neighborhood or even on the hiking trail. There is also my personal favorite, the chair meditation, which is pretty self-explanatory. This last example is another technique I use quite often, and that is chore meditations. It works best when doing a task that requires repetitive movements, like washing the dishes, folding the clothes. The repetitive motion can be calming and bring your mind to focus in the moment.
Meditation and mindfulness can become a truly life-changing activity. It will make you healthier and help you focus. Go ahead and try it!
Eron Vito Mazza is the author of The Living Lenormand, and is the host of the podcast The Witching hour with Eron Mazza.
