If the current pandemic is making you feel anxious, or increasing your levels of stress, it may be comforting to know that you are not alone.
With COVID-19 affecting all of our lives in some way or other, we may all be looking for a way to completely switch off and focus on our mental wellness if only for a short period of time.
Meditation is a great way to combat the uncertainty of the pandemic, and spend some time focusing on your state of mind. It can be practiced as a way to relieve stresses you might be experiencing, calm your body and mind, and offer a period of time to experience complete serenity.
If you have never tried meditation before, as an experienced naturopath and mediator myself, here are a few tips for getting started, that will hopefully allow you to alleviate some of your anxieties.

Find a Comfortable Space

You can meditate wherever you feel most comfortable. This could be on your sofa, in your bedroom, or even at your dining room table. Ideally, you’d like to find a space with little to no distractions, allowing you to focus on your breathing.

People often enjoy positioning themselves near windows, so they can embrace the natural light.
Meditation can be performed in whatever position you are most comfortable in, be that sitting up, crossing your legs, or lying down.

 

Steady Breathing

Start by taking a few deep inhales and exhales. Then, breathe in to the count of 4, and hold at the top for 4 seconds. Exhale slowly and repeat a few times.

Focusing on your breathing is the best way to clear your thoughts of the stresses and anxiety you may be experiencing as a result of COVID-19.

 

Express Gratitude

Now that you have started to clear the dark thoughts, think about what you are grateful for. The pandemic has involved a lot of restriction; we have all had to completely reshape our lifestyles, whether that’s changing our work environment, not being able to see family or friends, or isolating ourselves completely from others for months.
When you practice meditation and wellness, try and fill your thoughts with the things you are grateful for, be that friends that have video-called every week, your daily walks in the park, or the spare time you have had to develop a new hobby.

 

Gentle Movements

Yoga is also often associated with wellness, and ridding the body of negativity. If it feels right, you could try gentle yoga poses alongside your meditation practice.
Poses such as ‘the mountain’ and the ‘forward fold’ can calm you down, especially when transitioned to and from in a way that matches your meditative steady breathing. Of course, if it feels more comfortable, you can stay completely still.

 

Get in Touch

If you’re looking for more health and wellness tips, feel free to get in touch with Essence of the Soul today. I provide a range of natural and herbal remedies, so if you’d like to find out more, please call +44 7717 186647 or email me at info@essenceofthesoul.co.uk.