If you guys are anything like me, I always think to myself about all of the times I plan to take time for reflection and meditation, and then when push comes to shove I realize have just watched Netflix for four hours instead of meditating or even just doing deep breathing relaxation. It is really easy at the end of the day just to turn off your mind and zone out (while most likely procrastinating on doing homework). However if you can make a little bit of time each day (say ten minutes) to clear your mind and meditate, it can do wonders for your stress level and help you reflect upon your experiences.
It is important to take the step of planning exactly when you want to meditate. It may sound a little neurotic to plan something that is supposed to help reduce anxiety/stress but scheduling your time to meditate is a way of saying that time is important to you.
Traditionally in Buddhist practice the recommended times for meditation are the two hours before the sun rises, and the two hours after the sun sets. This makes sense: before the sun rises you are most likely more clear headed and not yet involved in the work of that day; after the sun rises you have most likely finished enough work to merit taking a little time to yourself. With a crazy grad school schedule taking ten minutes after internship or dinner will probably be the best time to meditate (unless you are a morning person, and then more power to you).
An important thing to establish is what merits pulling you away from your meditation time and what does not. Remembering an assignment is due or getting an emergency call are examples of situations where it might be best to address these issues first, and then come back to you meditation time. Other things, like a text from a friend (non-emergency), needing to fold your laundry, etc are things you could put off for at least the ten minutes you have set aside to clear your mind.
It can be really challenging to get into the swing of meditation. I personally find it helpful to use guided meditation videos (a lot of trial and error through using the YouTube). Personally I enjoy Chakra cleansing guided meditation because it calls you to visualize cleansing your body from the bottom up and helps you to stay focused and not get as distracted with other life stressors.
This video is form a series called meditation for moms. I like it because a) mom's definitely have a stressful life going on so I trust it is good for targeting stress and b)the video is only 6 minutes long so it is convenient to fit into your schedule. (http://youtu.be/rwY1_X74OKE)
Check out this easy to follow guide for beginning meditation! It breaks it down into 10 easy steps and also has suggestions for music that may be helpful. (http://goodlifezen.com/how-to-start-meditating-ten-important-tips/)
Synopsis of the steps:
1. Posture; be sure your spine is straight and upright.
2.Eyes; aim to have them open with a soft gaze, however at the beginning it can be much more helpful to keep them closed.
3. Focus; work to be aware of yourself and your surroundings
4. Breath; breath deeply and evenly. Counting your breath can be helpful at first
5. Thoughts; when you notice your thoughts gently let them go and return your focus to your breath
6. Emotions; if you are experiencing strong emotions it can be helpful to focus on how your body feels in relation to that emotion
7. Silence; music and guided mediation are great, but sometimes silence and noticing the natural sounds of the world around you is the bets way to truly clear your mind
8. Length; start of with a simple ten minutes and work to increase it as you become more comfortable and find it easier to focus
9. Place; it is great to have a special place where you meditate, even if that means sitting on a pillow on your bedroom floor with a candle lit.
10. Enjoyment; Remember to be kind to yourself and to strive to enjoy your meditation time
Sources:
http://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-practice/meditation-in-action/scheduled-meditation
http://youtu.be/rwY1_X74OKE
http://goodlifezen.com/how-to-start-meditating-ten-important-tips/
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