Book in Meditation
You’ve heard about the benefits of meditation and yet it feels uncomfortable just, well, sitting. What should you think about? Do you actually have time? Where can you do it uninterrupted?
It’s worth a go though, because meditation has a been proved in countless studies to bring a whole host of benefits.
And everyone has five minutes, right?
Let look at some reasons to try it:
- Reduces anxiety
- Improves sleep
- Can been done anywhere
- Increases attention span
- Reduces pain
Wait, what? Reduces pain? Definitely worth a try then!
Ready to have a go for just five minutes a day? Here are two meditations to start with:
Meditation 1: Body scan
With the body scan you focus on relaxing each part of your body at a time.
You start by sitting on a chair or sitting/lying on the floor. Then work from your toes, up to your legs, middle, arms, neck and head, relaxing every single part of your body at a time.
Then continue to sit or lie and breath gently in and out, in and out.
Meditation 2: The Oak Tree
I like this one specifically for chronic pain as it helps you feel like pain is not your identity.
Start by sitting on a chair or sitting/lying on the floor. As you breath in and out, imagine yourself as a tall, strong oak tree. This is you with all your branches of the different areas in your life.
Your pain is separate. You are not your pain.
What next?
There are so many more meditations so have a search and find the one that is best for you. Once you can ‘practise’ it (and, like any practise, it takes work) it gets easier. And it should be one factor in your toolkit to help reduce your chronic pain. Book in five minutes a day and make it a habit.
