Meditation is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with an accepting, non-judgmental disposition. Despite what many people think, the goal is not to stop thoughts but to simply notice them and allow them to pass without getting caught up in emotional reactions.
There are many benefits of meditating, these include increased awareness, improved self-awareness, increased self-compassion and a greater sense of calm. Regularly meditating can improve focus and concentration while also improving symptoms of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress.
Below you can listen to a selection of recorded meditations of varying lengths by clicking in the image to start the recording. A 3-minute meditation can be as useful as a 30 minute one when starting out, so can you allow yourself a few minutes out of your busy day so spend on yourself?
I started my meditation journey back in 2017. Back then I was living a very rushed, corporate lifestyle; working up to 60 hours per week when I take the commute into account, studying to become a counsellor, volunteering to help develop the skills I was learning and going to the gym at least 5 times per week. For me, the gym was my chance to unwind, but when I injured my knee on Christmas eve 2016, I was left with no other option but to find an alternate way of creating ‘me’ time.
As I struggled with being still, I found myself experiencing anxiety and depression and with no other viable option to improve my mental health I followed my own therapist’s suggestion to try meditation. I’m not going to lie, at first it was a real challenge; it’s not easy to be with one’s own thoughts or to quieten the mind when it’s used to racing. But with a dedicated daily practice I soon started to notice the benefits. My mood improved, I felt calmer, I had more resilience and above all else I began to feel much more self-aware.
It was the increased self-awareness that ultimately led me to the decision to change the way I lived my life. Gone are the days of rushing around, feeling like I never had time for myself. Now, each morning I start my morning with a guided meditation on the Calm app but there are other options available such as Headspace and Insight Timer, as well as plenty of free recordings on YouTube. Below you will also find a selection of my own free meditations that I have recorded. I hope if you decide to give meditation as try, you will find it as beneficial as I have.
I will be regularly adding new free meditations. Meditation can help with much more than anxiety, stress, depression and loneliness. If you have any specific topics or any comments about the free meditations offered here, please don't hesitate to get in contact using my contact form on my Services page.
