A balanced diet and workouts help us keep our bodies physically fit. In addition to this, it is important to take proper care of our mental health too. Meditation is like a workout for our mind. Usually practised after yoga or as a stand-alone, meditation helps recharge our minds.
Amid trying to balance work-life, even as we slip into the social media rabbit hole, maintaining a healthy frame of mind can be tough. Here's where meditation comes in. the practice has its roots in Hinduism and Buddhism.
There are various types of meditation and all share the same goal of achieving inner peace. The various ways of meditation include guided meditation, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation and transcendental meditation.
Meditation can help beat sleepiness and sluggishness. Medication can also be used as a tool to beat stress and anxiety. Meditating in the morning is considered to be very beneficial.
Kochi-based meditation instructor Sudakshna Thampi says “Meditation is the art of focusing your attention, uninterruptedly towards the object of your focus. Yogis use any object with a light of its own. Another popular object of attention is the breath.” According to her, a novice can start meditation by the simplest technique-- which is, set a timer for about 5 minutes, to begin with, sit in any comfortable position, close the eyes and watch one's breath without controlling it. Resolve to keep your attention focused on the breath till the timer goes off, gradually increasing the duration. Whatever thoughts may cross your mind during this time, watch them as an observer, try and detach from the thought.
Remind yourself that you are the master of your mind. With practice, lesser thoughts will occur during your practice, she adds.
Covid caused a lot of people to be isolated and unemployed several others, increasing stress and anxiety. Because of the work from home protocol, a lot of people found it hard to draw the line between work and home life.
Doing yoga regularly helps you to keep in touch with your inner self. It also helps you manage your emotions. "Yoga and meditation have completely changed my life. I used to be the kind of person who regularly gets cough and cold in every season and also was not touch with my emotions. Yoga helped me understand my emotions. It also increased my productivity and confidence in my body," says Kochi-based yoga instructor Priyamvada Mangal.
Time and budget constraints often hold people back from consulting a yoga/meditation instructor. This is where apps like Calm, Headspace, Daily Yoga, Asana Rebel and so on come in. There is, however, no single app for yoga and meditation. Try the apps first and select the one which suits you.
