As a beginner, it can be difficult to start meditating without any instruction. Many people don’t see the point in the practice, but that’s because it is difficult to remain still and put your mind at ease. At the same time, people yearn for this feeling of peace, or they want to establish a better mind/body connection. There are ways to practice meditation without feeling anxious, and we aim to highlight them in this article. 

In reality, all you need is yourself, a few beginner techniques, and possibly some calming music to start a meditation practice. You won’t achieve nirvana or perfection during your first meditation session, so please get that out of your head. There isn’t a specific uniform or pillow that you need, and you certainly don’t need to be in the presence of a guru. All you need is little dedication to make meditation a regular practice. You can meditate in the morning, at night, or on your lunch break. Some people even meditate while showering or brushing their teeth! If you’re a beginner interested in meditation, experiment with the following simple meditation practices to see if they help you on your journey. 

Qigong

This is an ancient Chinese practice that is essentially a moving form of meditation. It aims to energize harmony and bring about peace. Qi, pronounced “chi,” translates to the body’s internal life force, which you can activate during a qigong session. Qigong movements are very fluid and slow, and you tend to feel a sense of calm after a class. Doing qigong in the morning may even be better than a cup of coffee because it activates your internal energy.

Guided Meditation

If you have a difficult time sitting in silence and focusing on your breath, guided meditation is an excellent practice. It’s a great entry point to meditation because a teacher helps lead you through the session. There are many apps and online videos available, and many of them often have a theme. Sometimes, they may ask you to set an intention or follow a mantra during your session. Guided meditation is truly a simple mindfulness practice that can help you better examine your emotional and mental landscape. 

Sound Baths

There is nothing like emerging from a sound bath. You seem to exit the session in a tranquil state, or you sometimes feel pure elation. Think of how you feel when your favorite song comes on; there’s an automatic shift in your mood for the better. Sound baths help you achieve this state! Using singing bowls, sound baths help to relax the mind by covering you in a blanket of soothing sounds, which may help you become more aware and in tune with your body.

Walking Meditation

Many meditation experts describe meditation as an act of becoming more familiar with your thoughts and feelings. It helps you enhance the quality of your connection with others. Walking meditation is a very easy practice that puts an emphasis on being present in the moment. Typically, you focus on all five of your senses during a walk, taking in all of your surroundings along with your thoughts. Walking meditation can be beneficial to do barefoot because it helps deepen your connection with the earth. Click here to learn more about walking meditation.

Buddhist Meditation

There are many effective forms of meditation, some of which we just described in detail, and many of them stem from Buddhist traditions. There are several Buddhist meditations that may help you develop a regular practice. Generative meditation encourages you to pick an emotion you want to bring to life. If you want to invite more love into your life, meditate on the experience of feeling love all around you. Reflective meditation is a variation in which you go inward to learn more about connecting to the oneness of the world.

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There are times in every person’s life when it seems impossible to have a positive outlook. A family member’s declining health, personal finances, relationship troubles, or career struggles can make the future seem uncertain and scary. Perhaps it is a combination of all of these things, which wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the strange year that has been 2020. 

Please understand that it’s perfectly normal to feel down when times are tough. The important thing to remember is that these negative emotions and feelings do not control your life. You are the only person that is in control, and you have the power to elevate your state of mind, mood, and outlook on the world. Whenever the world looks dim and you find yourself in a slump, use the following tips to gain control and boost your mood. 

Acknowledge That You Feel Down

The worst thing you can do for yourself when you’re in a slump is to ignore the fact that you are experiencing those feelings. When you accept everything as it is, you are able to flourish as a result. It’s a matter of shifting your way of thinking. Acknowledging what caused your slump changes your thinking from “I’m angry or depressed” to “This is why I feel the way I do.” Once you do that, allow yourself to take a deep breath. Then take a few more. This can help you overcome that emotional slump.

Get Moving

Various neurological studies have proven that exercise has a positive effect on your mood. Movement boosts endorphin production and gets those feel good hormones flowing throughout the body. According to a Harvard study, regular low-intensity exercise helps the brain make new connections over time. When you’re down and out, it’s easy to watch the world pass and slip into a state of depression. Don’t overthink your situation and just keep moving. Do an online HIIT class, practice yoga in the park, or simply walk around the neighborhood and you’ll find that your perspective changes. 

Start A New Hobby

Life gives you too many lemons to worry about not having lemonade. There is always a way to thrive and dig yourself out of a depressing moment. Focusing your attention and energy on a new hobby, or a past hobby that you previously gave up, is a healthy way to improve your self-esteem, confidence, mood, and overall well-being. Whether you decide to resume painting or start learning a new language, a hobby can do wonders for your mental health. 

Clean Something

As the saying goes, “There’s no use in crying over spilled milk.” The reality is that you can always pout because something bad happened, but you can also clean up the mess. Since we are in the middle of a pandemic, it can be beneficial for your mental and physical health to get some cleaning done. Some people find that they get some of their most productive and detailed cleaning done when they are upset. Turn on your favorite music or listen to an audiobook or podcast while you scrub away your negative emotions, and the grime in your shower!

Write It Out

Don’t ever bottle up your emotions and feelings because they’ll eat away at your being and cause pain and unhappiness. You have to let them free! Studies have shown that one of the best ways to release stress is to write things down. After releasing your negative feelings, it’s important to follow that up with things that you’re grateful for. Gratitude is the ultimate path to focusing on positivity. 

Listen To Music

Music is a powerful force, a universal language that can lift you up, bring you down, energize you, and get you out of your own head. Whether you are depressed, anxious, or upset, try listening to soothing or happy music to pull you out of your personal funk. One study found that listening to classical music for 10 minutes helped to improve the participants’ negative moods. Listening to other calming music helped to lower blood pressure and cortisol levels. Something you might want to consider is listening to calming music during meditation. You’ll elevate the mind and transition into a more peaceful, happy mood.

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Here at Dherbs, we try to live up to our motto of assisting people in reclaiming their birthright of vibrant and optimal health. While we sell numerous herbal supplements, cleanses, and topical products, we also aim to inform the public about the unique, alternative therapies that improve overall wellness. To live up to that goal, we will continue to bring you a variety of therapies that can enhance your physical and mental health.

Our new video series on YouTube is called “The Adventures of V-Man,” which documents our content writer, Vinnie, and all the alternative wellness therapies he tries. The latest therapy he experienced was sound bathing, which is a deeply immersive and meditative experience. Many people enjoy sound baths because they help to reduce stress, improve sleep, increase cognitive function, enhance self-esteem, improve immune function, decrease inflammation, and stabilize mood. How can you experience these benefits? All you have to do is bathe in some soothing sounds.

Note: You cannot shower in sound; you can only bathe in it. Ha!

Vinnie and our media team visited Awa Oasia in Downtown, Los Angeles, California, to take part in a one-of-a-kind sound bath given by Nadine Casanova. You’ll find Vinnie’s sound bath experience detailed below.

Entering Awa Oasia

First off, let me just say that Awa Oasia is a tranquil, creative, artistic space that was amazing to be in. My initial focus went towards the planters with towering greenery, full kitchen setup, and suspended circular bed with countless pillows. Is it weird that I wanted to take a nap on that bed? Perhaps, but I’d venture to say that many people have napped on said suspended bed. I then noticed the sound bath area in the center of the main room, which included various-sized singing bowls, a gong, a double flute, shakers, and a handheld drum.

Nadine Casanova, CEO of Awa Oasia, emerged from behind her desk, her expressive aura greeting me before she had the chance to say hello. Within minutes of meeting her, she began singing as she explained the sound bath experience. I asked if she was going to sing during the sound bath and she said that she always does. She also explained that she sings based on what the spirit tells her to do in the moment. Not every sound bath has singing; rather, the person offering the sound bath decides what sounds to make, either through instruments or voice. As Nadine explained after the session, certain sounds or frequencies can penetrate emotions, stimulate brainwaves, or improve immune function.

The Sound Bath

I lay down on the carpet in the sound bath area. Nadine took her place behind the singing bowls and instructed me to close my eyes, take several deep breaths, and think of a phrase, saying, or singular goal to focus on during the session. She hit the singing bowls with her mallet to create a mixture of tones, which resonated throughout the space.

At first, it was very tranquil and the descending tones created an interesting vibration. It felt like my body was tingling as the singing bowls resonated. Then, all of a sudden, Nadine hit a metal bowl, which was right behind my head, and the sound just seemed to circle around my head for what seemed like five minutes. It finally faded away by the time she started singing and beating a drum, which almost matched the rhythm of my heartbeat. I relaxed and submitted to the experience, letting the sounds wash over me. 

Speaking of sounds washing over me, she shook this shaker device over me and it sounded like rain in the distance. It was a crazy feeling because I expected to be soaking wet after hearing that sound. That scratches the surface of how sound influences your thoughts or feelings.

I’ll be honest with all of you: this sound bath was the closest I’ve come to seeing or experiencing live music in six months. I’m a live music fanatic, so it was almost emotional to be in the presence of live sounds, especially when she sang or played the double flute. 

Reflecting On The Session

I felt incredibly relaxed and centered as the session came to a close. In my past experiences with meditation, I never could seem to quiet my thoughts. The enchanting sounds in the sound bath blocked any external thoughts, and I simply focused on the sounds. Now, Nadine explained that some people go on spiritual journeys during the sessions, some fall asleep, and others experience reduced anxiety. I didn’t venture into the spiritual realm, but I did feel extremely calm during and after the experience. 

Due to COVID-19, times are strange and sound baths may not be available to everyone. That being said, anyone can participate in sound baths, no matter where they live. Now that I’ve experienced a sound bath, I encourage everyone to try it. Nadine said people can easily go online and find sound bath videos or playlists for various ailments. People listen to music to relax or enhance their mood, right? It only makes sense, then, to listen to sounds or frequencies that can enhance overall health. If you have access to a sound therapy space, such as Awa Oasia, and you want to reduce stress or anxiety, it is 100% worth it. I will definitely continue this therapy on my own and hopefully return to receive more sessions from Nadine. 

You can find Nadine Casanova at Awa Oasia in Downtown, Los Angeles, or you can find her and the services she offers using the following website and social media channels. 

Instagram: @spiritofkalibri
Facebook: @awaoasia

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