To quiet your mind, you must move your body!

How often have you tried to start meditating but couldn’t even sit down for tenminute before “monkey mind” took over?

Why is it that every time you try to quiet your mind it seems to become even more active?

Our mind is very powerful, and really good at coming up with excuses. As soon as you decide to take time out for quiet meditation, the mind comes up with a million ways to intefere: ?you’re hungry“, ”you need to run“, ”you forgot to buy milk?.

I’m sure that if asked Dr. Sara Gottfried, my hormone/brain guru she would explain the relationship between meditation, mind-chatter and cortisol, but that’s a great topic for another blog. So let me get back to my point.

My point is that some people have more success with meditation or feeling clear-headed in general after being engaged in some kind of movement or exercise.

Here’s my beginner’s guide to a successful meditation practice

1. Choose the WHAT

   5–10 minutes of daily meditation is all you need to begin to create a consistent practice. If you are a beginner, consider starting with a guided visualization, which keeps your mind engaged while creating a sense of empowerment and centereness through the guided imagery. My ?Balanced Life Meditation? are perfect for beginners, and there are also many meditation apps for smartphones.

2. Choose the WHEN

   To be consistent, you need to create a habit. Connect your new meditation habit to a specific time of day (morning, evening) or to an activity (after exercise, before dinner). Meditating after physical activites works great for many people because of the hormones released during exercise.

3. Choose the HOW

   Decide whether you want to sit on the floor, a chair or a sofa. Be consistent with your posture and location when you start. If you sit on the floor, make sure to support your body with pillows so your back is straight and your hips higher than your knees.

After choosing your WHAT, WHEN and HOW, all that’s left is doing it. Make sure to have a positive attitude and realistic expectations. Creating a daily meditation practice takes time and dedication. It’s not always easy, but it is rewarding. To create the habit, practice the same kind of meditation for four weeks at the same time and place.

Work with your mind and not against it to create a successful meditation practice.