The Daily Mind

Daily Steps To Mindful Living

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What Guided Meditation Is and Its Benefits

Meditation

Meditation is a popular practice in many parts of the world today, but its origins date back to approximately 5,000 to 3,500 BCE when archeologists discovered signs of meditation in wall art.

Indian scriptures, as early as 3,000 years ago, highlight meditation techniques, and as time passed, other religions and sects developed their versions of meditation.

Today, from the east to the west, people practice meditation for various reasons, one of which is to attain spiritual development.

Guided meditation

Guided meditation is no different from regular meditation except that there is someone else leading the session. This is particularly useful for beginners who may have difficulty meditating. As the name says, guided meditation needs a guide to help an individual or group to reach a deeper level of consciousness and reap the benefits of the practice.

One of the most common ways you can practice guided meditation is to go to a yoga center or a similar place. They offer sessions or classes for guided meditation. If you’re fortunate enough, you can even find a personal guide for your meditation session.

guided meditation benefitsSource

During a guided meditation session, the narrator will start with asking you to find a comfortable position – sitting or lying down. He or she will then verbally help you go through visualization processes with the aim of relaxing your body and your mind. As you go along, you will get more and more relaxed, and your mind will become calmer.

How can guided meditation help?

Guided meditation is not much different from meditating on your own. It’s the presence of a guide that helps you focus, with the ultimate goal of you being able to – at some point – meditate on your own.

Guided meditation benefits are numerous, the main one being targeted at those who struggle with sitting still and quieting their mind. If you find it difficult just to sit there and find inner peace on your own, then guided meditation will make it much easier.

There are many variations of guided meditation, most of them with specific goals.

Here are several examples:

  • Guided meditation for relaxation
  • Guided meditation to relieve work stress
  • Guided meditation to quit smoking
  • Guided meditation to start the day
  • Guided meditation for “grounding” yourself
  • Guided meditation for self-healing
  • Guided meditation for coping with divorce or breakups
  • Guided meditation for forgiveness
  • Guided meditation for dealing with guilt.

And the list goes on and on.

Whether you are going through a rough patch in your life, or you simply want to improve your current state of mind, meditation is one of the most effective things to do. And, if you are not comfortable meditating on your own, or you are uninitiated in the practice, then guided meditation can help you achieve your goals in ways you may not imagine.

Are you ready to make a huge change in your life? Try guided meditation. In my next post, I’ll be sharing tools which you can use for guided meditation.

Get your meditation place ready: 9 Cheap Ways to Make Your Place Peaceful and Conducive to Meditation

Originally posted on June 3, 2015 @ 8:30 am

6 Relaxing Hobbies That Will Relieve Stress

Meditation, Mental Health, Mind

Are you living a life of stress? Does it seem that stress is all you can feel day in, day out?

Then you need to examine your lifestyle. Perhaps your work is taking over your life. Perhaps you have issues about taking on the burden of everyone around you – even if you don’t have to. Perhaps you just need to take a break from everything and carve out some “me time”.

When was the last time you spent time doing something that you really enjoy? If you can barely remember, or if the instances are far and few in between, then I suggest making an effort to make time for this activity.

If you think you need something new, here’s a bit of help: some relaxing hobbies that will relieve stress.

Painting

Not everyone is skilled in painting, but even if you don’t know anything about color palettes and brushes and whatnot, it’s worth a try. Look for classes in your area, sign up for one, and find out if painting is for you. You might be surprised at the results.

Photography

relaxing hobbies

 

These days, everyone can be a photographer. While the hardcore hobbyists have expensive equipment, which you might not want to invest in just yet, you can easily use your smartphone. Photography is definitely a relaxing hobby, as there are endless choices for subjects – and there should be at least one that you are interested in.

Cooking

If you like your food, why not up the ante and challenge yourself in the kitchen? You might already be making your meals every day, but if you see that as a necessity – one has to eat after all – it probably isn’t relaxing at all. Instead, you might see it as a chore.

Why not turn things around and make cooking a hobby? Browse cooking/recipe sites and buy cooking/foodie magazines. Look for recipes that make your mouth water, and go for it!

Gardening

It has been proven time and again that gardening is one of the best relaxing hobbies. Before you ditch the idea, give it a try. Gardening outside exposes you to the health benefits of the sun. The mere act of tending to your plants (you can even talk to them) also helps you relax.

And, who doesn’t like seeing flowers grow and brighten up your surroundings? If you grow some vegetables or herbs, you’ll have the added satisfaction of consuming them.

Ikebana

relaxing hobbies

 

Ikebana is the ancient art of flower arrangement, a distinctive part of Japanese culture. Learning and practicing Ikebana will not only help you relax, but give you a sense of achievement and an appreciation for beauty for it is not simply putting a bunch of flowers in a vase, but an art form and philosophy that highlights how nature and humanity come together.

Transcendental Meditation

Founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1950s, Transcendental Meditation, or TM, is a technique that requires the use of sound or a mantra that is practiced twice every day for 15 to 20 minutes. The TM technique is supposed to bring your body to a relaxed state and profound rest. If you take up this as hobby and do it regularly, you’ll find that your life doesn’t have to have much stress.

Originally posted on May 13, 2015 @ 8:00 am

How to Beat Depression: 5 Counterintuitive Ways

Mental Health, Mind

How to beat depression is a topic that has been talked about so much. Is there anything else that we can add to the discussion?

For those who have not been in that sh#thouse of the well of depression, their answer would probably be no. For those who have experienced depression in varying degrees, there is always something to look at, analyze, and talk about.

Depression is hard to describe in itself. It’s hard to understand. It may come and go. For the sufferer of depression, it is a constant battle.

There are many “cures” and tips on how to beat depression, but they usually run along the same veins. In this post, let’s look at ways to tackle depression which may be counterintuitive.

Acknowledge your need for need.

Depressed people withdraw into their own world. It’s easier to stay in that funk and not face what’s really causing their emotional state. While many cases of depression cannot be fully treated without medication, there is a first step that any depressed person has to take: to acknowledge his/her state.

Corollary to this is the concept that depression is closely related to a need for need.

What does this mean?

Depressed people have a need for something although it varies from person to person. It could be a need to feel useful or needed. It could be a need for help in times of weakness. It could be a need for companionship.
shameful
Whatever that need is, it is important for a depressed person to acknowledge this and break through society’s idea that needing help is a sign of weakness. Don’t be ashamed of how you feel.

Don’t shield yourself from depression and feelings of loneliness.

[tweetthis url=”https://www.thedailymind.com/?p=3479″]Accepting that loneliness and depression exists in your life is the first step toward beating it![/tweetthis]

Avoid sugar.

But sugar gives you energy and makes you feel better, right? That’s true; but there is also the fact that after that surge of “feel good”, you’ll crash. Then you fall right back to that hole you detest.

That’s not to say that you should totally not consume sugar. As with most things, moderation is key, but probably even more so with those suffering from depression. The AHA recommends 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women, and 9 teaspoons for men.

Get your butt off that sofa.

For people who are not suffering from depression, this is an obvious thing to do. For those who are in a bad place, however, the intuitive action is to stay inside, holed up.

A reason that often comes up is that they won’t be good company anyway. They don’t want to drain their friends’ energy.

Don’t fall for that trap. Go out. Meet friends. It will be difficult to get on your feet, take a shower, and walk out the door, but you’ll thank yourself after.

More than meeting with friends, getting your butt off that sofa means get some physical exercise. You don’t have to go to the gym and workout like you want to be a champion weightlifter. A 20-minute walk everyday (or every other day, if that’s what you can manage at first) will do you wonders. Mental health is improved, and stress is relieve.

There’s science behind this: endorphins, which are chemicals released in the brain when you engage in physical activity. These chemicals reduce your perception of pain and give you an overall positive feeling.

So if you think that talking a walk will only tire you and drain your energy, think twice.

Don’t spend a lot of time on social media.

Social media is a way of interacting with other people without having to actually go out. At least you’re interacting, right? That should help with your depressive feelings.

Nopes.

If you think this is one of the suggestions on how to beat depression, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Research has shown that “people do not advertise their negative traits on their social profiles, nor do they pose unflattering pictures. Because of this strict control of the way we are viewed, we are often fooled into believing other people’s lives are much better than our own.”

[tweetthis ur=”https://www.thedailymind.com/?p=3479″]What is essential to remember is they too wear masks, the way I do, the way everyone does.[/tweetthis]

Don’t meditate for prolonged periods.

But doesn’t everyone know that meditation is good for you? Of course, but it doesn’t mean you have to spend more time you feel is necessary on meditating.

Alan Watts, author of The Meaning of Happiness (1940) and The Wisdom of Insecurity (1951), was rather controversial in how he interpreted zen and tried to “bring” its concepts into the Western world.

…he dismissed the core Zen idea of zazen (which meant spending hours seated in contemplative meditation) as unnecessary. ‘A cat sits until it is tired of sitting, then gets up, stretches, and walks away,’ was his forgiving interpretation of zazen.

More tips on how to beat depression:

How to Beat Depression: Take Baby Steps

15+ Quotes to Beat Depression

Originally posted on April 24, 2015 @ 8:00 am

Save Money by Being a Mindful Shopper

Life, Mind, Mindfulness

Shopping is the downfall of one person too many. In these times where commercialism is not exactly an unknown concept to most people, it is easy to fall into the trap of buying things left and right, without really paying attention to what you are spending on, much less how much you are spending.

Usually, it’s only when you see the balance in your bank account or when the credit card bill comes that you realize just how much you’ve been spending.

The good news is that anyone can avoid the headache that overspending brings by being a mindful shopper. With a few tweaks to your habits, you can save money and still buy the things you enjoy. In fact, many already have these habits. If they can do it, so can you.

How do you become a mindful shopper?

Here are three simple things to do.

Spend time creating a shopping list.

mindful shopper

Source

This is probably the most often repeated piece of advice to save money. It’s also the most ignored in practice.

Seriously, though, before you go to the grocery store or the mall, make a list of what you need. Don’t just put together a rough list, though. Pay close attention to what you are writing down. Go through your pantry and fridge if you have to. Check your toiletry stock.

And, when you are out shopping, make sure you actually look at your list and follow it.

Don’t buy what you don’t need.

Another simple piece of advice: buy only what you need. It’s common sense, but it’s hard to follow when you are at the mall, and you see a dress that you “absolutely must have”.

When that situation arises, stop. Go through your wardrobe mentally. How many clothes do you actually wear regularly? How many clothes have you worn more than once? Doing this will give your urges time to abate, as well as give you a better perspective.

Actively look for discounts.

Thanks to competition, there is no lack of discounts and promos that shoppers can find. You don’t even have to leave your home to find them. Just go online, and you’ll find all sorts of discounts.

mindful shopper

For example, if you need a new washer or fridge, you don’t have to pay the full price. Home Depot, for example, has Groupon coupons that will help you save money on appliances.

mindful shopper

If you need to print out family photos, there are also many options for discounted packages. The crucial thing is that you make it a habit to look for those promos before settling on the first service/item you see. Don’t pay full price if you don’t have to!

Back to you

How do you deal with shopping? Do you have problems handling money because of this? Or maybe you’re a mindful shopper who has tips to share with us. Feel free to let us know in the comments below!

Related reading: 5 Habits That Will Lead You to Bankruptcy

Featured image source

Originally posted on April 1, 2015 @ 8:00 am

5 Things to Stop Expecting From People Around You

Mental Health, Mind

Expectations can be the death of you – whether expectations come from others or ourselves. While there is no getting rid of expectations in this world, if we are more mindful, we just might be able to deal with expectations in a better way.

In this post, we’re going to focus on things to stop expecting from people with whom we interact. Whether they are family, friends, or people from the office, regular interaction with these people will always result in us expecting something from them.

If you are having issues because of your expectations, take a look at these five things to stop expecting from people around you. Reading and becoming aware of them will help!

1. Stop expecting others to make you happy.

things to stop expecting from people

“Realize that true happiness lies within you. Waste no time and effort searching for peace and contentment and joy in the world outside. Remember that there is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving. Reach out. Share. Smile. Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” ~Og Mandino

This pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it? The thing is, it’s easy to read the quote and repeat it over and over again, but in real life, it’s not always that simple. To a certain degree, we will always be affected by what external circumstances, and that includes what other people do and say.

We can’t control others, but we can control our expectations. If we stop relying on others for our own happiness, if we create situations that will make us happy, then we’ll be much better off.

2. Stop expecting others to think the way you do.

Birds of a feather flock together, but they still don’t always agree with each other, do they?

The world will be a much better place if people can have conversations and agree to disgree. You don’t always have to be right. Your friends, family members, and coworkers don’t always have to think the way you do. Period.

3. Stop expecting others to be “on call” for whenever you need them.

Emergency calls

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It is always nice to have a shoulder to lean on. There’s always that one friend that will be there beside you in an instant when you call for help. But you can’t expect that to be the case all the time. That’s being needy.

Other people don’t exist for the sole purpose of being there for you whenever you need them. Not your parents, not your siblings, not your partner.

There will be times when they can’t be there. The sooner you understand and accept that, the easier your life will be.

4. Stop expecting others to be how you want them to be.

Sometimes, we have this image of how we want people to be, especially those close to us. We want our partner to be more expressive and show his/her appreciation more. We want our parents to be more hands off. We want our friends to be more present.

These are all good expectations, but what happens when they don’t live up to these expectations?

We get upset. We feel let down. Arguments may ensue.

How to avoid the complications?

Accept people as they are. Express your sentiments, but do not force them on others; and once you’ve expressed yourself, stop projecting your expectations.

5. Stop expecting others to treat you better than you treat yourself.

How do you treat yourself? How much do you show self-respect?

Surely, your circle will see these things, and no one can blame them if they don’t treat you better than how you treat yourself.

If you feel that other people treat you badly, take a step back and analyze how you treat yourself and how they perceive this. Perhaps the answer lies there.

What expectations do you have of others? Do you think they help you or should you let them go?

Here’s more reading on expectations: 13 Quotes to Help You Deal With Expectations

Featured image source

Originally posted on March 31, 2015 @ 8:30 am

14 Ways to Make Someone Smile Any Time

Life, Mental Health

Have you ever had those days when you just feel like the world is

1. Take the first step: smile first. As they say, smile and the world smiles with you. Even better, smile at a stranger. You never know what a person is going through. Your smile might very well make the difference between a horrible day and a great one.
2. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Simple courtesy is taken for granted a lot these days, and being at the receiving end is sure to make one smile.
3. Say thank you to people who are part of your day but you may not know – to the traffic enforcer who helped you cross the street. To the doorman in your building. To the lady manning the elevator. Oh, and say it with a sincere smile.
4. Say thank you to a co-worker, to your boss, to a friend, or to a family member. It doesn’t have to be about something in particular. Just let them know you appreciate them.
5. Bring food to work, and share it with your colleagues. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. The gesture is what counts, and the fact that you can all spend some down time together.
6. Invite someone out to lunch or coffee. Especially if you know the person could use a shoulder.
7. Help a stranger. For example, if you see a mother struggling with her kids, bags, and everything a mom carries around, offer your help. Help an elderly person cross the street.
8. Buy someone at the bar a drink. While this has the potential to be misconstrued, use your judgement. If you spot someone who looks like he/she could use a break, send a drink their way.
9. Give up your seat in the bus or subway. Sometimes I think that people who do this voluntarily is a rare and dying breed. Prove me wrong. Give up your seat without hesitation if you see that another person could use the seat more than you do.
10. Buy a stranger coffee. While waiting in line for coffee, buy someone a cup of coffee.
11. Give food to the homeless. Depending on where you live/work, you’re bound to pass by a homeless person every day. Instead of merely walking by, prepare some food or buy something from the deli and give hand it over.
12. Give a generous tip. You may tip regularly, but once in a while, splurge a little. Especially if you see that your server looks like he/she needs a pick-me-upper.
13. Compliment someone. Say something genuinely nice about someone’s hair, clothes, or even socks.
14. Take a silly photo of yourself and send it to a friend or loved one. Selfie syndrome aside, a little silliness is good for the heart.

It doesn’t take much to make people smile – strangers and friends alike. All you really need is to be genuine, and you can be the source of a smile epidemic. 😉

Lessons From India 4: The Importance of a Smile

Featured image source

Originally posted on March 11, 2015 @ 1:00 pm