Written by Guest Contributor: Danielle DāSouzaĀ āĀ Over the past few years, millions of people across the world have gravitated towards the practice of meditation. While meditation was traditionally a means to attain spiritual enlightenment, today many people practice meditation as a way to manage stress and anxiety, improve clarity, focus, mood and sleep quality, among many other reasons.
You may be wondering, what exactly is meditation?
How can it benefit me as an entrepreneur and business owner?
Where do I even start?
Iām here to give you some insight into the wonderful world of meditation.
What is Meditation?
As human beings, we have over 50,000 thoughts in a given day ā mostly, these thoughts are about the past or future, taking us out of the present moment.
For instance, we plan well deserved vacations (all the while dreaming about being on the beach). When we finally get to our vacation destination, our mind shifts to thinking about all the work that will be waiting for us when we get home. When do we finally get to enjoy the beach?!
Meditation is a practice used to refine your attention and bring you into the present moment. During the practice of meditation, the goal isnāt to push your thoughts away ā quite the opposite!
You use an object of focus, such as the breath or a mantra, to bring your awareness back to the present moment time and time again. When thoughts arise, as they will, you sit in awareness of them, without judgement, and then gently guide yourself back to your object of focus. Over time, you begin to find more and more space between your thoughts, until there is nothing but space, which can be likened to feeling at peace.
Why it is important as an entrepreneur/business owner?
As a business owner, you likely have a lot on your plate. Being always on the go, your brain is often working in the sympathetic (fight or flight) state ā releasing hormones and summoning large amounts of energy to help you manage your day-to-day stresses ā financial safety, building your audience, being seeing in an authentic way.
Meditation is a wonderful way to give your mind a rest from fight or flight, and find space to rest and repair (also known as the parasympathetic state).
By allowing your mind to access this state consciously over and over, you begin to cultivate a relationship with mindfulness, which follows you on your journey, ready to support you as needed. During stressful situations, challenges or disappointments your mind is better equipped to be able to recall itās capacity to be calm, centered, and balanced.
With meditation, you can show up in your business with more clarity, compassion, and patience which will ripple through into your offerings.
(A previous blog you may want to visit after this one would be: 7 Tips for Mindful Writing)
So where should you begin?
A great way to start meditating is to listen to a guided practice or attend a live class with a teacher, who will lead you through a series of exercises to keep you focused and aware. You can also set a timer and do a self-led practice by focusing on your breath, scanning through your body, or repeating a mantra or positive affirmation.
Take time to explore various meditation postures, finding one that feels comfortable for you and that allows you to breathe with ease. Keep yourself accountable by scheduling your practice in just like any other important business meeting. Even with the best intentions, life can get busy, so this is a great way to commit to yourself.
Like anything else, meditation is a practice.
It can be challenging to begin, but once you feel the benefits, you will wonder how you functioned without it!
About Danielle
Danielle DāSouza is a yoga and meditation teacher focused on helping women bring more self-love into their life through movement, meditation, and mindfulness. She is the host of Release and Restore ā Guided MeditationsĀ and also recently launched Awaken to Self-Love a Facebook community for women on the journey to self-love. You can find out more about Danielle and her company Yes and Yoga by visiting her website www.yesandyoga.com
Looking for guest contributor opportunities? Please email me at: catherine@catherinenikkel.com with a brief introduction to who you are and, how your topic of expertise relates to Mindful Media.
