meditation
MENTAL HEALTH
A MEDITATION GUIDE
for People Who Suck at Sitting Still BY NORA HESTON TARTE
M
editation has a long list of benefits for our physical, mental, and emotional health—but we’ll be damned if sitting still for even 10 minutes sounds easier than a HIIT workout. Alyssa Marty, owner of Shine Yoga Studios, says those who struggle to sit still are exactly the people who should be meditating. “The sitting still part is definitely one of the biggest challenges for most of us, but that's an indicator that it's something we need to work on,” she says. “When it's difficult to sit quietly with our thoughts, we should identify that as normal and just take the steps to practice until it becomes a bit easier.”
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2022 SJ HEALTH AND MEDICAL GUIDE
There is one common misconception that can make meditation feel less accessible, and that’s the understanding that you should be able to clear your mind completely. “Meditation doesn't have to be about ‘turning off your brain’ at all,” Alyssa says. “It's about re-directing your thoughts or learning to sit with your thoughts.” If thoughts do creep in, don’t ignore them. Instead, acknowledge what thought has popped into your head and then release it and allow your brain to move on. Instead of dwelling on the intruder, think about your breath. “The redirection of the thoughts can be incredibly powerful,” says Alyssa. “You don't need to be ‘thoughtless,’ you just need to be in control of the thoughts you have, how you process them,
and how you act on them.” If you want to incorporate meditation into your daily or weekly routine, remember to take baby steps and don’t be too hard on yourself. If using breath work isn’t enough to sideline intrusive thoughts, consider a guided meditation or visualization approach. These are easy to access either in yoga classes or using your own podcasts, apps, and YouTube videos at home. It also helps to find a quiet place that you can be still in. Remove distractions, turn off your phone, and move away from noise. You may even bring in elements that make the space more comfortable to you such as a favorite scent or a comfortable pillow. “Just a few minutes a day can make a huge impact,” Alyssa says.
