Everyone is talking about mindfulness and meditation these days. You know it is beneficial and would like to start practicing meditation. Still, you cannot keep your body in the meditation posture even for two minutes. You might find yourself snoring soon.

If this sounds familiar and if you would like to overcome laziness to practice meditation, the following tips may help you.

What is being lazy to meditate?

Being lazy to meditate can be two types means you are and not in a mood to meditate so that you do not meditate at all. Secondly, you start meditating. When your mind gets relaxed, you fall asleep.

Why do I feel lazy to meditate?

Meditation is about developing your concentration, finding time to be with your inner self, and let go of any negativities within you.

When you do not know the benefits of meditation, you will have no motivation to initiate or continue practicing. You feel lazy to sit in silence for long hours.

On the other hand, the results of meditation will not come overnight. The progress depends on the time and effort you invest in developing meditation. If you are not patient enough to observe the slow progress, you cannot proceed.

Also, if your mind is very much into sense desires such as watching movies, eating tasty food, listening to music, etc., you do not feel like putting time into meditation. Your mind will always run after satisfying your senses.

If you are home after a long day at work, you feel tired and want some rest. In such cases, it is more likely you will not spend time on meditation.

The above are some of the most common excuses one finds not to meditate.

Why should I meditate?

The answer is simple. Why do you brush your teeth, clean your body, and keep your clothes clean?

It is just because it is unpleasant and unhealthy to live with a dirty body. So we keep it clean as much as possible.

It is the same process we should follow with the mind. If we do not cleanse it, the mind gets cloudy with mental defilements. There are certain mentalities that defile the mind such as lust, greed, hatred, anger, etc. If you are not aware of the arising of these defilements and let them piled up, your mind will become impure.

Also, the human body consists of both the mind and physical body (matter). We always pay attention to the physical body, but we are not aware of the mind and its function. The mind plays a major role in shaping who you are and what you do. Thus, it is very important to understand the mind and its behavior.

Therefore, we should engage in some mind cleansing process on a regular basis. Meditation is one of the best methods of making your mind clean and calm.

How can I motivate myself to meditate?

• You can practice meditation only when you are energetic. Therefore, pay attention to your meals. Always eat healthy food and avoid processed food. Switch to water instead of carbonated drinks.

• Keep your body and garments clean. When your body is not clean, you do not feel fresh to start meditation.

• Engage in some physical activity such as doing yoga or walking. It helps to circulate blood throughout your body so that laziness cannot exist.

• Spend time with nature. It recharges your body and mind. Also nature helps you feel relaxed and serene.

• Engage in some charity. When there are compassionate thoughts in your mind and you make another person happy, your mind will become soft. Then you will find it easy to start practicing.

• Go for a meditation retreat. In a retreat, you will associate with like-minded people. You get time to detach from the outside world that can be toxic. Also, the food and accommodation provided in a meditation center are specially designed to make your mind calm.

• Disassociate from toxic environments. Some people and places make you feel lethargic. So be careful to avoid such distractions.

How can I meditate?

• Start small. You can find 5 minutes as soon as you wake up in the morning or at night. It is ok to start meditating in bed. Just close your eyes paying attention to your incoming and outgoing breath. Mornings are the best time to practice some meditation because your mind has got enough rest so that it can focus well.

• Also, you can go for a walk in nature. Make it a brief walk for about 10 to 15 minutes. Select an area that is 30 -40 feet long. Start moving your right leg first, then the left leg, and so on. Once you reach the turnaround point, remember you are turning around and start over. You can follow this method a few times.

• Select a mindful eating or tea time where you can be to yourself. Observe how you move your hands, keeping food in your mouth, different tastes you feel, etc. This way, you can embed meditation into your meals.

• When you are behind the wheel, be aware of your surroundings. Do not be busy on the phone. Pay full attention to driving. Even if others drive recklessly, you can prevent an accident if you drive with care.

Meditation is not only when you sit crossed legs and close your eyes. It can be practiced everywhere even if you are on a busy road. Different meditation techniques bring different results. Therefore, pick the right one for you to make it interesting.

What are the benefits of meditation?

Some of the benefits meditation can give are;

• Your mind gets clarity
• Lethargic feelings will disappear
• You feel energetic throughout the day
• You feel relaxed and happy after meditating

On a final note, meditation is key to a happy and healthy life. It is the time where you can find if you are doing ok, what are the worries in you, how can you find peace within you, and so on. You cannot unlock the potency of the mind to the fullest if you do not try to understand it. A healthy body is the result of a healthy mind. Therefore, take at least a few minutes per day to reflect on yourself to be healthy and happy.

Photo by Pedro Netto on Unsplash