Meditation for Inner Peace

Meditation can bring you inner peace when you need it most. But as with most things, you need to practice regularly to get into that state of flow.

The good news is that when times get stressful, you will naturally have a calm response because you’ll be used to staying present in the moment.

Learning Meditation for a Peaceful Mind

No one really knows how learning to meditate was created. The word “meditation” is connected to a Latin root meaning to think, to think about something, or to consider something.

Some people think meditation is the ability to focus on one thought, and others believe it to be the ability to have no thoughts at all.

I think meditation is more about being fully present. You can have another thought pop up in your head, and acknowledge the thought, and then release it.

Then you can get back to your original meditation.

It’s easier than you think.

How to Begin

The first step is to create a calm environment. You don’t want to be surrounded by stressful reminders that will pull you out of your focus.

You also want to be able to control the sounds and the smells. Some people like music while they meditate. Others like to have incense or scented candles burning.

There is no one right way to meditate.

Staying Calm While Meditating

Find a way that you will be comfortable sitting while you’re meditating. Some people like a cushion on the floor, and others like a chair with good support.

It’s also important to be wearing clothing that’s comfortable otherwise you’ll be focused on where something is pinching or tugging.

If possible, let others know not to interrupt you for the next ten to fifteen minutes.

Breathe and Relax

One of the best ways to learn to be mindful is to listen to your breathing and feel how it’s going in to and out of your lungs from deep in your abdomen.

As you get better about focusing on your breathing, then you can start relaxing your body.

Don’t be surprised if you’re carrying a lot of stress in your neck and shoulders. It may be a bit painful at first as you’re letting go.

And you may find that as you relax, a lot of things will pop up into your mind.

Developing Your Focus

It takes a lot of practice to be able to acknowledge the thoughts and emotions that pop up, and gently set them aside while going back to “center.”

When I say going back to your center, I mean going back to the one main focus for your meditation.

Using Guided Meditations for Inner Peace

Guided meditations can be a great way to learn how to focus your mind on one thing while releasing emotions that may be hiding under the surface.

Tips to Overcome Barriers for Inner Peace

People often avoid learning to meditate because they think it takes a lot of time. I promise you don’t have to sit for 4 or 5 hours repeating a single word while counting your breaths.

Unless you want to, of course.

It Doesn’t Have to Take Much Time

For most of us, we need to learn only how to get into a certain state and stay there for a few minutes. Then you can build up the time you meditate.

The key is to figure out how long it takes you personally to be able to become centered in the present and relax your body.

There’s No One Right Answer

As I’ve mentioned, there is no right or wrong way to meditate. It is your own experience. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.

Each meditation session will be unique depending upon you, what’s going on that day, and a myriad of other things.

Give yourself permission to grow and develop slowly. Remember why you’re learning to meditate – to be able to feel inner peace.

You Will Need to Build Up Self-Discipline

When you’re relaxed, you will get thoughts and emotions. It’s something everyone has to deal with.

What will help you the most is building up your self-discipline in releasing the distractions. Don’t spend much time on the thoughts that pop up. Otherwise you won’t find peace.

Imagine your brain

I’m a wonderful person. I’m a wonderful….oh, wow, when did that cobweb show up…I’m a wonderful person, I’m a wonderful…do I have any bills due? I hate when I miss a due date and have to pay the late fee. I’m such an idiot. I could be saving so much money if I weren’t so stupid.

It’s not going to promote relaxation if you can’t reel your mind back in.

If You’re Restless…

If you find you’re having difficulties concentrating or sitting, then shorten the duration. Start with two minutes instead of ten, and slowly build it up.

Consistency Is Key

As with everything, the more consistent you are with practicing meditation, the sooner you’ll master inner peace.

Types of Meditations

Even though I said there’s no right or wrong way to meditate, there are some big groupings of meditations that you will see.

Transcendental Meditation

This is the type of meditation most people think of when they hear the term. It’s a little more structured and usually should last between 20 to 30 minutes.

It’s also recommended to meditate twice a day for that 20 to 30 minutes. And the goal is to gain access to your inner world of silence.

You’re to choose a word or a concept and keep your focus on that during your meditation.

If you listen to music, make sure that it’s soothing and won’t be a distraction. If your favorite karaoke song comes on, you may be tempted to burst into song.

Which is wonderful, but save that for after you’re done meditating.

Mindful Meditation

This type of meditation is where you concentrate on your breathing to the exclusion of everything.

You’re practicing just being in the moment and blocking out everything.

Walking Meditation

For those of us who have problems sitting, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can walk while meditating.

Some people prefer a slow walk, and others like to vary their speed. The key is to be able to focus on the one thing while relaxing your body and keeping your mind clear from random thoughts.

Visualizing Meditation

Another main type of meditation is like playing a special movie in your head of how you want something to happen.

You can visualize the outcome of a stressful presentation, or you could visualize your perfect day where all your dreams have come true.

This meditation can energize you and give you the self-confidence you want to handle stressful situations.

Olympic athletes have used this for decades to train themselves to react instinctively during their sport.

My Final Thoughts

You may find yourself full of doubts when you first start. And that’s the farthest thing from inner peace!

You may think you’re wasting your time, or that you’re the only person in the world who doesn’t know how to meditate.

It’s time to let go of all of that so you can find the inner peace you desire.

Decide that this is something you want to try to do and set time in your diary to do it. You are important and you deserve inner peace.

You will lean that being mindful can help you detach from emotion if you’re in a stressful situation.