Being a mother is not an easy task. No matter what stage of life our children are in, we are inundated with work, worry, and other stresses that come along with the life-long path of motherhood. In this article, we will discuss where meditation comes from and how it can help you in your busy life.
The techniques we will give you in this piece are easy and can be done anywhere at any time, but we will cover that in a moment.
The History of Meditation
Meditatum is the Latin word meaning “to ponder.” Where it comes from originally is a tough question and the answer is up for much debate. Written records from Hindu traditions dating back to 1500 BCE are the earliest known. These were discovered in India from the school of Vendatism, which focuses on philosophy.
There are also accounts of meditative states in Buddhist practices written in the Pali Canon, which are the original teachings of Buddha. So we don’t know who was the first to discover or invent the practice of meditation. No matter who created it, meditation has made its way through thousands of years and just as many cultures.
This is because it works. Meditating regularly has been proven to lessen stress levels significantly, which is exactly what a busy mom needs. The problem is, when are you going to find the time to sit still for ten or fifteen minutes. If you are a typical mother finding one minute, let alone fifteen is rather difficult.
When You Have The Time
The ideal situation would be to set up space in your home where you can sit and relax. You should sit on the floor with your legs crossed or in a comfortable chair with your posture straight. Your hands can rest on your knees either palms up or down. You might even want to explore products that help to calm your mind as much as possible before meditating, such as mushrooms from this website and many more. These products are recognized to assist you in relaxing and getting the most from your meditation time.
Some say keeping your palms faced upright if you want to be open to receiving energy and down if you want to stay closed and maintain the energy you already have. The important thing to remember is that these choices are all personal and there is no right or wrong.
There are certain things you can add if you have the time, like the sound of drums or ocean waves. Scents also add a nice element to meditation. If you set up space in your home you can decide between a diffuser vs humidifier.
When You Don’t
The thing is, when you are a busy mother, you don’t have the time to grab the essential oils and pull out the yoga mat, at least not every day. This is why we put together a list of spaces and techniques that you can bring with you anywhere.
Spaces to Practice
When it comes to meditating, there is simply no place where you cannot do it. If you are experiencing stress due to outrageous traffic, shut off the radio and start to breathe. Of course, you can’t always close your eyes, which does dampen the overall practice but, it can be a great tool during these stressful moments even if you can’t close your eyes.
The idea is to take in a breath and exhale at the same intervals. When you focus on the number you count while inhaling and exhaling then you can’t focus on that appointment you are running late for. Sure, you may still be late but it’s best to be calm when you get there opposed to frazzled and freaking out from stress.
Techniques
Now that you know you can meditate at your desk, in the tub, in a kitchen chair when you are in the middle of making lunches, and pretty much anywhere you can find a space to sit for a few minutes, let’s go over the different techniques you can use on the go.
Mindfulness Meditation
When you practice mindfulness meditation you are supposed to observe the thoughts that are moving through your head. You should not connect nor react to these thoughts and just step outside yourself as you breathe and observe them.
When you practice this you can identify patterns that might be adding to your stress levels. You will notice how many positive and negative thoughts you have moving through your head, which can be powerful knowledge.
Concentration Meditation
Find a single point wherever you are and focus on it while you breathe. You could also focus on a single word. The point is to concentrate on one specific thing while you take in and exhale your breath. You might find this difficult because you are a human being and our thoughts race naturally. It seems they do so even more so when we are trying to focus.
You will find the more you do it the better you will get at concentration meditation. When your mind wanders you can watch those thoughts go away, which they will when you concentrate.
Conclusion
When it comes to finding time to meditate, this is completely up to you. If you find that motherhood and the work and worry that comes along with it to be overwhelming at times then finding a nice rug in a quiet corner, wherever you are, and taking a minute to breathe in and out will help you move through these times. Centuries of practice have proven this to be true.
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