How to get started with meditation

If there was a voting contest for the phrase ‘Keep calm and meditate’, which we heard the maximum number of times in the months gone by, then this would be it. As the pandemic hit, many of us turned towards mindfulness and backed it up with genuine goals. We downloaded apps that could guide us through sessions, read endlessly about the benefits of deep breathing, and flaunted the card, which read connect with yourself. We altered our schedules and made space for a few minutes of meditation to help us get through the turbulent times or sometimes simply to make sense of what was happening around us.

“One year into the pandemic and the future remains uncertain. The routines that we had a year ago have been disrupted, and many of us are isolated from our families. The global economy has taken a hit, the question of whether or not to go for a vaccine permeates and we continue to experience increased stress,” says Nancy Zabaneh, a Kundalini yoga guru, human relations coach, inquirist therapist and motivational speaker. And this is just the tip of the iceberg that explains our increased affinity towards meditation during recent times. We speak to experts to understand the importance of embracing meditation as a routine activity.

It is okay to feel

“Meditation and mindfulness is not about burying our heads in the sand or fooling ourselves that we’re not feeling what we’re feeling. But simply bringing awareness to the present moment, to centre ourselves, connect with, and navigate and ease the intensity of these feelings,” adds Rachel Dowes, co-founder, Beyond Wellness, Abu Dhabi. Rachel, who is also a clinical hypnotherapist, psychologist, wellness coach, and a meditation and mindfulness teacher, further elaborates how various neuroscience studies have shown that meditating can reduce stress, anxiety and relieve the symptoms of depression. Meditation can also help us regulate our emotions so we can pay better attention to other people and act more altruistically, rather than from a place of fear.

Take a long, deep breath

We’re currently at a stage where we have accepted that uncertainty is likely to continue for months and possibly years, and hence an emphasis on mental health, complemented by a steady meditation practice, is the key to keeping anxiety at bay, all the while learning to live in greater acceptance of the unknown. “We are social beings, and the pandemic has forced us to act in a way that is not natural to us. That said, caring for our mental health is a priority in 2021. We’ve been through a lot and the least we can do is to take some time out to practice mindfulness, meditate, journal and do the things that enhance our mental state,” suggests Heba Alayyan, owner-founder, Heba’s Closet, a local boutique which stocks meditation essentials.

You are not alone

Heba further speaks of the negative impact that social distancing has had on us. “It’s against our nature to see our friends and not be able to hug them to express compassion. It’s also against our nature to not be able to have someone care for us while we are sick,” she says. Rachel agrees and points out the need to reiterate the fact that if we’re feeling more anxious these days, we’re not alone. “Whether you’ve lost jobs or homes, tested positive for Covid-19, or struggling in home isolation — you are not alone in experiencing anxiety, depression or other associated health conditions,” she says.

Don’t let the stress build up

It’s a known fact that some mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, can be resolved by taking time out for relaxation. “When we focus on improving our mental health, by becoming self-aware and understanding our body’s response to stress, it becomes possible to resolve the issues instead of letting it build up to where it becomes unmanageable and affects the other areas of your life,” advises Lee Whyberd, an energy healer and founder, Lee Wellness Meditation Centre, Dubai. And some of the ways to reach this stage is by pausing, deep breathing and being mindful.

purva@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai