Meditation: What is Self Care?
The term Self Care indicates asking yourself what you need to do to create a better version of your current self. Self care is another way for human beings to focus on their wellness and health. Centuries ago self care was not a huge concern with people being more concerned about trying to make ends meet and surviving through various problems. However, the huge advancements in technology have made life a lot easier. People are now surrounded by gadgets that help them with their daily tasks, leaving them with enough time to take better care of themselves. Self care means different things to different people. Some people may consider an uninterrupted hour of reading on their favourite couch as self care while others prefer to spend me-time doing something creative like a watercolour painting or calligraphy. Some people also consider meditation as a form of self care.
What is Self Care Meditation?
The ultimate goal of any self care activity is to make you love yourself. This will help your soul feel nourished and taken care of. Meditation is an ancient practice that originated in the Indian subcontinent and is practised in every corner of the globe today. Self care meditation helps people gain self-awareness and also find relief from built-up anxiety and stress. Additionally, scientific studies have proven that every benefit offered by meditation has been proven time and again. If you have been having trouble concentrating or focusing on life, it is time to invest in some self care, and what better way is there than Self care meditation? There are several types of self care options you can choose from. Emotional self care can be described as taking care of your emotional needs by identifying your feelings and then nurturing them. It also involves paying more attention to your intellect and conscious inner state. With bad news pouring in every day, self love and self care is the only way to process your emotions without being overwhelmed by them.
When To Do Self Care Meditation?
According to the experts, Self care meditation needs to be given top priority from day one. However, many people make the mistake of putting their emotional needs on the back burner and going about their professional and personal life. However, they soon start feeling burnt out and unable to maintain relationships. This is when they start paying more attention to self health care. Fortunately, more and more people today are becoming aware of their emotional needs and are more open to practising self care in the form of meditation, and identifying their emotional triggers. Studies have shown that people who disregard self care often wind up having high blood pressure, which leads to several heart ailments. Since more men are susceptible to high blood pressure, self care for men is being encouraged by health professionals. Taking care of your emotional needs is no longer seen as a feminine trait. In fact, many successful people have confessed the different self care routines that help them stay on track without becoming overwhelmed with their feelings or emotions.
If you have been constantly busy with work or life and your mind feels like it has been running at top speed for a long while, it is time to slow down. Meditation gives you a chance to clear your mind of all that chaos and finally refocus on what is important to you. When you move through life too quickly, you tend to lose track of what’s important. Self care mediation helps you to take a break and focus on things that are more important in life. Regardless of how busy you are, taking out ten minutes from your day to clear your mind, calm down, relax and reset your mind will help you perform better and feel more focused as well.
Who Should Perform Meditation for Self Care?
Kids and grownups alike are encouraged to indulge in meditation and self care by health professionals. By setting some time aside in your daily routine to calm down your mind and focus on your inner mind and feelings, you let go of built-up frustrations. Practising meditation for self care from a young age can help kids grow up into adults who have a better grasp on their inner self and are more self-aware. It also helps people learn better coping mechanisms when dealing with stress and unexpected situations. Meditation self care is extremely useful if you have trouble setting boundaries and saying no to people. It will help you build up confidence and be more willing to protect your energy with the simple act of saying ‘no’. One of the most important aspects of Self care meditation is accepting that you are not okay and you need help. Once you reach this vulnerable stage your mind and body will be open to dealing with all those emotions and feelings you have been suppressing over the years. It is time to pay attention to your mental well-being as much as you do to your physical health. In fact, making self care meditation a part of your daily routine will also help you improve your physical health in the long run.
How Meditation Can Be Effective for Self Care?
Self care meditation is a great way to start loving yourself and paying more attention to your inner self. It offers you quality “me-time” wherein you get some alone time to reset, connect and reflect. Have you ever noticed how you start feeling tired and exhausted after a long day? A meditation session where you unwind and relax helps you refill your cup and feel satisfied with yourself. People who do not make self care a part of their routine often find themselves lost and unable to make strides in their personal and professional life. Fortunately, guided self care meditation sessions can help them get out of their funk and discover their inner selves. The best part about meditation is that it is absolutely free. You can opt for a guided session or download a free meditation app and get started. All you need is a quiet corner and a few minutes to unwind and get your thoughts in order. Although this might sound too simple, it gets the job done! Self care for women and men is extremely important when they are donning different hats like father, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, and head of the family. Consistent self care is important and beneficial to you and your family in the long run. Another interesting aspect of mediation for self care is that it takes care of physical self care, psychological self care, emotional self care, spiritual self care as well as personal self care! It nourishes your mind, body, and soul all at the same time. With so many benefits, it is a shame if you do not start meditating for self care soon enough!
Different Meditation Activities for Self Care
If you are wondering
how to do meditation for self care, you have come to the right place. Here are few meditation activities to get you started:
Buddha Meditation
This type of meditation requires you to be seated in a quiet corner with your eyes closed, straight back and head centred.
Once you close your eyes, you need to clear your mind of all your thoughts and let your mind go blank.
If you are finding this difficult, you can try focusing on a visual image like the beach or a favourite memory that will help you clear your mind and relax.
Then breathe slowly and stay in this position until you feel calm and relaxed.
Total time: 10 to 20 minutes.
Guided Visualization
This self care meditation requires you to focus on any desired outcome like completing a task or scoring a basket at the next basketball game and so on.
Focusing on this visualization will help you feel as you would once you finish that accomplishment. This will boost your self-confidence and help you perform better with a more focused mind.
Total time: 10 to 20 minutes.
Transcendental Meditation
This type of self care meditation requires you to chant a mantra while you meditate quietly in a comfortable spot.
This is extremely popular and has helped people regain their focus as they cleared their minds of chaos and thoughts.
Total time: 10 to 20 minutes.
Mindfulness Meditation
This type of self care mediation requires you to hyper-focus on the task at hand and experiencing your emotions related to it.
This will help you become more mindful and also get more attuned to the task on hand without allowing your mind to wander.
Total time: 10 to 20 minutes.
Health Benefits of Self Care Meditation
There are several benefits offered by meditation for self care. Let’s take a look at some of them:
It helps reduce depression symptoms.
Chit Shakti meditation reduces stress and anxiety.
It helps improve your immunity levels against several health ailments.
It helps strengthen your heart and cardiovascular health.
Besides emotional self care, meditation helps improve your memory and concentration skills.
If you have been suffering from insomnia, it is time to try different types of self care.
Meditation helps fight the urge to eat junk food and also overcome eating disorders like bulimia, anorexia, etc.
Meditation has been observed to improve self-control.
It offers relief from chronic headaches.
It helps you build long-lasting strong relationships with the people around you.
If you have hit a creative block, meditation will help you overcome it and start creating again.
Nothing can improve your sex life like self care meditation.
Slow down the ageing process with regular mediation sessions.
Disadvantages of Self Care Meditation
If you are not careful, you may end up reliving traumatic memories that your subconscious is trying to suppress.
If you are a chronic procrastinator, mediation may lead to a lack of motivation.
If not done accurately, mediation may end up harming you rather than helping you.
Dos & Don’ts
Guided meditation for self care needs to be a part of your regular routine.
Do not focus on negative memories when you are trying to meditate.
If you have mental health ailments, contact your doctor before attempting self care meditation.
Self care and meditation need to be given their proper due, rather than a rushed five minutes session.
Meditation goes a long way in delivering better mental clarity. If you have been feeling clouded and not able to make decisions it is time to clear your mind with the help of self care meditation. There are several different techniques you can choose from. Regardless of how you meditate, you will be required to clear your mind as you gather your feelings and emotions. Then you will need to reset your focus and be aware of the present moment. Once you reset your mind, you will find it a lot clearer, making it easier to take important decisions without mulling over them too much. Meditation helps your mind see the positive side more clearly rather than focusing only on the negatives. In fact, meditation is an important tool that everyone needs to have within easy reach. It is time to give self care its due and start adding meditation to your list of things to do.