How To Make Meditation Your Daily Ritual
Meditation can be an intimidating practice for many of us – especially when we’re just starting out. Even if you have the best intentions, it can be tough to stick to a daily ritual.
Here’s a quick guide to remind you why it’s a worthy effort to meditate every day, plus some simple techniques (easy as just adding essential oils to your practice!) to get started on a path to daily mediation.
Infographic created in partnership with Yoga Journal Magazine.
Meditate Every Day
Why & How to Craft Your Daily Ritual
light yellow infographic with colored circles in muted pink purple and green tones around an outline illustration of female-presenting light-skin person in a lotus position
BENEFITS OF MEDITATION
Mental
- Promotes Healthy Cognitive Aging
- Sleep Benefits
- Enhances Concentration
Meditation allows you to relax which causes blood vessels to open up and influences blood pressure.
Physical
- Maintains Healthy Blood pressure
- Promotes Normal Cholesterol Levels
- Assists in Pain Management
Meditators fall asleep sooner and stay asleep longer with less daytime fatigue than those that don't.
Emotional
- Emotional Health
- Relief from Stress
- Kindness
Meditation promotes healthy stress responses by influencing the production of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
18 million
of adult Americans meditate regularly.
CAN DO IT ANYWHERE
- Home
- Office
- Airplane
- Commuting
"Every conscious breath you take is a form of meditation."
Darnell McDonald (Chicago Cubs)
ESTABLISH DAILY RITUAL MEDITATION
SETUP
Establishing the same setup allows your body to recognize the cues for your meditation.
simple line illustration of a clock
1. Schedule for the same time every day.
simple line illustration of a cell phone
2 Turn off cell phone.
simple line illustration of a diffuser salmon in color with mist coming out of top
3 Consider an essential oil diffuser or roll-on
This allows your body to recognize a familiar and pleasurable scent associated with meditation to more quickly find focus.
simple line illustration of a light eggplant color chair cushion
4 Find favorite meditation cushion/ bolster, or a chair with feet on the floor
Sit up straight. Your hips should be higher than your knees. This allows your pelvis to tip forward and a straight spine, allowing you to sit comfortably longer.
simple line illustration of a female-presenting light-skin person's face with eyes closed and a teal towel wrapped on her head
5 Mindset
Write down distractions prior so they don't occupy your mind. Set intention.
Examples
- Stay Grounded
- Letting Go
- Love Unconditionally
METTA MEDITATION PRACTICE
Loving kindness meditation (metta) challenges us to send love and compassion to those around us, including ourselves.
Step 1
Begin with creating love and kindness for yourself. Chant aloud or internally.
May I feel protected and safe
May I feel content and pleased
May my physical body provide me strength
May my life unfold smoothly with ease
Step 2
Repeat again. This time, stop after each phrase and take a deep breath in and out. Close your eyes as you take the breath and feel how that wish feels in your body.
Step 3
Repeat Steps one and two, but send your wishes to others. Maybe a loved one or someone you are struggling with.
bottom of infographic in beige background with NOW Solutions logo at middle bottom of page and photograph on the right side of a NOW brand diffuser and NOW brand Clear the Air and Nature's Shield essential oils
NOW has been offering quality essential oils fornearly thirty years, with an extensive selection of 100% pure, certified organic and blended oils, all Non-GMO Project Verified and tested for purity and potency.
Sources:
- yogajournal.com/meditation/cultivating-a-metta-mind
- huffngtonpost.com/2014/o-n-5B42870.html
