Meditation for millennial minds

Meditation in simple terms, is a way to train the mind. Most of the time, our minds are wandering, we’re thinking about the future, dwelling on the past or worrying. Meditation brings us back to the present moment and helps us be less stressed, calmer and kinder to ourselves and others.

The first and the most important thing is to find 10 minutes in your day and stick with the same time everyday. I would recommend doing it first thing in the morning because it is easier to come up with excuses later in the day.

I started with Isha guided meditation for the first two weeks to get myself accustomed. After that, I started practicing my own routine:

1) First, I focus on my breath for about 2–3 minutes. You can count your breath from 1–10 and repeat the cycle 3 times.

2) After that, I do a body scan to check on how my body feels from head to toe.

3) The last few minutes, I bring my focus between my eyebrows to the center point and continue concentrating for however long I can. It is natural to feel some vibrations if you try to focus very hard. If you feel very inconvenient you can return your attention to your breath.

During meditation, your mind will roam. You may notice other sensations in the body, things happening around you, or just get lost in thought, daydreaming about the past or present, possibly judging yourself or others. Thinking is just as natural as breathing. “It’s the natural conditioning of the mind to wander. Just observe those thoughts for a second and gently return your awareness to your breath.

When you’re finished, smile. Be grateful because you stuck with your commitment and showed yourself that you’re trustworthy. Meditation has helped me to become more peaceful, focused and appreciative and less worried. I’m far from perfect, but it has helped me come a long way. I’d encourage young adults to get started with meditation early in your life to unlock the benefits in the long term.