How Meditation Saved My Life

People who meditate are more even-keeled and more aware of their surroundings. Those all sound like great qualities to have in a relationship partner, right? 

Maybe you can be that partner. Let's practice mindfulness meditation together every day. Here are five steps for how to do it:

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1. Sit up straight. You don't need your legs crossed or anything like that. Just sit with good posture. This takes pressure off your organs, especially your lungs.

2. Close your eyes.

3. Breathe slowly. Breathe in and out, at a pace of about three seconds per inhalation, and three seconds per exhalation. Feel your belly move in and out. That's good breathing.

4. Focus your attention solely on your breath. I like to think of it as the rolling in and out of the tide because that sound relaxes me (and almost everyone else). Meditative breathing doesn't sound too different from the ocean to my ears.

5. Acknowledge your thoughts. As your attention wanders to other thoughts (and it will even for experienced meditators), acknowledge the thought by saying to yourself, silently, "Hmm" or "Interesting" or "Neat." Then go back to focusing on your breath, your inner tides. Notice that none of these words judge your inability to stay focused on your breath.

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As a matter of fact, distracted thinking is an occupational hazard of meditation. By learning to be alright with your own distractions, then refocusing, you are learning non-judgment and non-harming. Open your eyes after a few minutes, grateful for the stress reduction you just performed and that you are alive to experience this world in all of its wonder.