What is meditation?


Fundamentally, meditation is about being present in the moment, being aware of our breathing and acknowledging our thoughts without judgement.[1][2] When we first start meditating, it is helpful to meditate in a quiet place where we won't be distracted by anything around us, however, the eventual goal is to carry the mindset we have learned through our quiet meditation sessions into our daily lives, so we can be present and aware of our thoughts and how they affect us.

Take for example the act of washing the dishes. It seems like a simple task, however, how many times have we rushed washing the dishes so we can move onto doing something we value more, such as watching a movie or performing a work-related task? Meditation teaches us to be present; wash the dishes just to wash the dishes. Next time you wash dishes, try to focus simply on washing each dish, try not to think about anything else (such as what else needs to be done or what you would rather be doing or something that happened in the past).[1]



Meditation effects

Studies show routine meditation has many benefits such as improving our ability to deal with stress, anxiety and negative thoughts/feelings.[3][4] Meditation also improves our memory by increasing the gray matter in our brains.[5] Meditating for a short period a day can improve our overall well-being with long-term results.[4]

How to start meditating


It's important to remember that meditation is different for everyone. Two friends could be sitting next to each other and taking part in the same meditation session but they will have different experiences.
It's important to start small, such as simply with a few breaths each day.
There are several types of meditation, here we will talk about two types specifically related to stress called noting (for repetitive unhelpful thoughts) and body scan (to release tension).



Noting technique[6][7]
  1. Sit comfortably with your back straight, in a quiet space where you won't be distracted by your environment.
  2. You may close your eyes if you wish (this is optional).
  3. Take five deep breaths, inhaling from your nose and into your belly and exhaling slowly out of your nose/mouth (whichever feels most comfortable).
  4. Continue focusing on your breath. You may count your breaths, starting with 1 for your first inhale and exhale, 2 for your second inhale and exhale and so on, until you reach 10 and start from 1 again.
  5. When thoughts pop up in your mind, gently note the thoughts but don't judge them and let them go.
    • For example if you have a thought about eating pizza, acknowledge it, don't focus on it or try to analyze it by thinking about what it means or why you're having it. Just note that you've had this thought and let it go.
  6. Don't note every thought, that could be exhausting. Note reoccurring thoughts or when you find your mind has wandered or got lost in thought(s).

Body scan[8] — helps us check-in with our bodies and release tension we may be experiencing.
Here are two audio versions of body scan guided meditations:
Body scan guided meditation 1
Body scan guided meditation 2