mediTation guide To mindfullness By Valerie Torres a sTeP Back We all have those moments in which our workload of everyday living becomes piled up in a mess of stress and distraction. The days may seem to fly by, or even worse, drag on as if tomorrow will never come. The assignments for the week speed in your direction, and your emotions arise in a paradoxical way that is both intense and yet numbing, as you probably don’t process what you felt in the first place. Your thoughts are in a race, you’re not really aware of the little things that you worry about, and in the midst of chaos, you forget that sometimes you really just need to slow down. My personal tactic to help remedy the effects of my own emotional woes has always been to meditate. Through my own experiences, understanding the importance of practicing meditation has transformed the ways in which I have rationalized the ups and downs of my own life. While the rules for meditation are different for everyone, and there is never one way to do it, here are some helpful tips that may help in your own roads for mental alleviation: make a commiTmenT From the moment you decide you will meditate, to allocating a specific amount of time, it’s important to make sure you stick to it. geT comForTaBle Pick a cozy, quiet, isolated spot. This is you time. Close your eyes, and allow yourself to be soothed by the comfort that you’ve chosen.
Breathe in, Breathe ouT Pay attention to your breath. Relax your body, let your stomach round out as you inhale, and back inside as you exhale. Listen only to your breath. Move to where these sounds take you. leT your ThoughTs floW As you begin to relax, many of your thoughts will begin to flow. Let them simply pass through the wave in which they arrive. No stress, no reaction. Just flow. accePT iT all Many of your thoughts will come and go. Some may make their way back for a second encounter. They are meant to be there, they are meant to flow through your mind and exist. Accepting your thoughts for what they are is crucial, because at this moment, you are present in your time of comfort. keeP Focus As inclined as you’ll probably be to feed into the second or third return of thoughts, you must stay loyal to your commitment, and focus on the goal. Be with your breath and be with yourself. feel your muscles Follow your muscles and spend some time flowing through different parts of your body. Reach all points patiently, focusing only on wherever you are. affirm yourself Being outwardly kind to yourself and providing yourself with positive reassurance allows you to bask in the presence of only your own company. This helps to create a bond with your own solidarity, letting you be with you. It’s easy to get caught up in all of the frenzy that your journeys may bring you, but we all owe it to ourselves to take a step back, and be present in each and every moment that we are dealt. Even if you have never practiced meditation, it never hurts to open up the possibilities for yourself, and just try something new.
Renegade Magazine Fall '19 Issue.indd 30
12/11/19 3:18 PM
