The Journey Within

Here at The Rocking Bohemian, one of our biggest motivations in doing what we do is to discover, and to help other people discover, the best version of ourselves that we can be, something that could also be called 'our true self'.

One of the things that can define bohemianism is the idea of not conforming to societal norms, and discovering who you are and what is important to you (your values), are things that are not often encouraged in today's society. We are so often told what to think, what to wear, who to support and what our hobbies should be, by family, friends, and often the media and governments.

For us, we have found that having a regular meditation practice can be a great stepping stone into finding out more about yourself, creating the stillness that our busy minds really need.

What do you think of when you hear the word 'meditation'?

Perhaps you picture monks chanting in a monastery or a temple.

Maybe you think it is limited to Buddhism or mystical Eastern spiritualities?

Well, we are here to tell you that you don't need to be a monk, and meditation is open to everyone from all religions (or none at all), and for all ages, races and beliefs. You don't even need to be on top of a hill, looking out over a beautiful view of forests, fields and mountains. In fact, meditation can be done anytime and anywhere!

You can begin to feel calmer and more relaxed in just a matter of minutes, although in order to appreciate the longer lasting benefits of meditation you will need to build a regular practice.

An Age Old Practice.

Meditation has been around in some form or another for thousands of years, and whilst it may have originated with a view to enhance or build upon spirituality, these days meditation is also used as a method of relieving stress, be that at the workplace, family life, or simply to give you a sense of wellbeing.

We are lucky to live in a world where meditation is no longer a 'hippy' word, but is increasingly being used by people all over the world, indeed some of the world's most successful people have some form of meditation practice. Science has proven that meditation can reduce anxiety, depression, and pain.

Feeling stressed can exacerbate almost any health condition you can think of - increasing the risk of conditions such as depression, diabetes, heart disease and even asthma and Alzheimer's.

If you are new to meditation here are 6 quick steps to get you started:

Step One - Create Space.

When you are just getting started with your meditation practice you might find the idea of sitting quietly to be daunting, and as such find yourself easily affected by distractions. You can minimise the likelihood of this happening by turning off your phone (or switching on ‘Do not Disturb’), closing windows if it is noisy outside and ensuring that anyone you live with knows what you are doing and to minimise noise so as not to interrupt your practice.

Over time you will find it easier to deal with distractions, but while you are new to meditation it is best to make the first experiences go as smoothly as possible. You can begin by setting a timer for just one or two minutes and then increase that time the more comfortable you become with meditation.

Step Two - Ready Your Position.

Avoid lying down while meditating.

The aim here is not to sleep, and it is likely that you will fall asleep if your mind reaches a relaxed state. To stop this from happening, you can start your meditation in a seated position, either by sitting cross legged on the floor, on a meditation cushion or on a chair where your feet can reach the floor. Sit with your back straight, and with your hands resting in your lap.

It can help to imagine that there is a piece of string from the crown of your head, pulling your spine upwards, dropping your shoulders back, and relaxing into this position.

Step Three - Remember To Breathe.

A good way to maintain focus whilst meditating is through the breath.

Begin by taking three deep breaths.

Breathe all the way in through your nose, pause for a brief moment at the top of the breath, and then breathe all the way out slowly through your mouth, sighing as you release the breath.

Repeat this two more times before allowing your breathing to return to its normal rhythm.

The intake of oxygen in your body helps you to relax, while the awareness of your natural breathing gives you something to focus on.

Keep practising and observing your breathing until you can do it easily without having to think about it.

"Quiet the mind and the soul will speak" – Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Step Four - Let It Go.

Whilst you focus your attention on your breathing you will find that your mind begins to wander. Random thoughts and images begin to pop up. These might be anything from the list of chores that you have to complete later on, or remembering the funny joke you heard this morning. You might even find yourself randomly remembering that awkward, embarrassing thing you said to that person five years ago. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal! Your mind isn’t used to being still yet and will try anything it can to distract you.

You will find it almost impossible to stop or ignore these thoughts when they appear, and you are not supposed to stop or ignore them. Instead, just acknowledge that they are happening and then let them go.

It can sometimes be helpful to imagine that you are sitting on a hill, with clouds floating in the sky. You notice that they are there, and you might even watch them as they drift by, but they are no more than clouds. You don't try to stop them or make them disappear, and soon enough they float away to be replaced by another cloud, or even a clear patch of blue sky. The clouds are your thoughts, and you can just watch them float away across the sky, whilst you keep your attention on your breath.

Another analogy is to imagine yourself sitting on that same hill, except this time you watch cars and lorries drive by on the road below. You notice that they are there and you watch them pass by, but you are not really concentrating on them. You do not need to think about what colour or make the car is, or what the writing on the lorry says. You just acknowledge that it is a car or lorry and let it go on its way, while you sit and you breathe.

Random thoughts will happen, just view them from a place of detachment. You can see them clearly in your mind but you feel no need to focus on the details and you bring your attention back to your breathing and continue to relax into your meditation.

Step Five - Feel Guided.

A quick visit to YouTube and you will find a wide variety of guided meditations covering every topic that you could think of. It can sometime help to have an outside voice to focus on throughout your meditation, especially if you find yourself too easily distracted while sitting alone. If you are feeling stressed you will find a guided meditation to release that stress. If you are struggling to forgive someone who has wronged you? Head to YouTube for a meditation on forgiveness.

You will also find more specific ones such as those relating to the chakras. A favourite of ours is to listen to a sleep meditation as we drift off at night. Although the main aim of meditation is to create calm and space within the mind, which enables us to reside in the present moment, and connect with our truest self, there is a lot to be said for following guided meditations, especially at the start of your journey. As well as the free meditations found on YouTube, we highly recommend apps such as 'Calm' and 'Headspace'. In fact it was the Headspace app that assisted Nicola at the start of her own meditation journey.​

Step Six - Worry Not.

There will come a time when you no longer notice these random thoughts, and instead will easily reach a state of calm and stillness. This is the space that you want to reach in meditation. A place of clarity, where answers come easily both within the meditation and throughout the day after you have finished your meditation.

This time will come, but until then, remember to breathe...

If you would like to learn a LOT more about meditation keep an eye out for our upcoming course 'Meditate Today.' We look forward to seeing you there.!

"Learn to be calm and you will always be happy" – Paramahansa Yogananda