6 Ways to Make Meditation Not Feel Like a Chore
Photo by Simon Rae on Unsplash
Everyone knows that meditation promotes peace, balance, and tranquility, aiding in a variety of mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.
From the time I was eight years old, every therapist I attended could not stress enough how vital meditation is.
My first therapist gave me mini-cassette tapes filled with three guided meditations, roughly thirty minutes each.
She advised me to do one of these meditations nightly. However, with most of these meditations, I ended up just finding myself bored and laughing at the speaker’s overly-tranquil British accent.
Frankly, it was something I dreaded.
Likewise, other therapists I’ve had throughout the years provided me with other meditation tapes, both in and out of sessions.
I also used the popular app called Headspace. This is definitely an excellent app with many helpful resources, but it still wasn’t something I looked forward to each day. Meditation felt nothing like a failed treatment for my mental illnesses and a chore in my daily routine.
But as time went on, my mindset towards meditation changed.
Here are 6 ways to make meditation not feel like a chore.
1) Spiritual Meditations
As I delved more into spirituality, I realized that meditation was simply more than just taking some deep breaths to feel relaxed.
Meditation has the power to rid yourself of negative and stagnant energy, unleash messages from your subconscious mind, manifest your goals and desires, and maybe if you’re lucky, allow you to have an OBE (out-of-body experience) that could change how you view life entirely.
After this, I began switching to more spiritual meditations on YouTube including chakra meditations, manifestation/Law of Attraction meditations, and OBE meditations.
These meditations hit differently than my former meditations. They allowed me to look forward to meditating and learning how to connect with my higher self rather than just simply feeling calm.
2) Candles/Incense
You don’t have to be a hippie or a yogi to love the smell of a burning candle or incense.
Pleasant scents have been proven to have positive mind-altering effects on one’s psyche. They are also a great addition to your meditative practice.
As I became more interested in spirituality, I began lighting a candle and keeping my room dimly lit while meditating. This tranquil vibe goes a long way in your meditation and makes your practice even deeper and more enjoyable.
Burning incense also smells great (not to mention screams “zen”) and is another great way to experience a deeper meditation. Keep in mind, that frequent use of incense is not advisable as it can lead to lung issues, so it’s better to keep the incense to a limit.
3) Crystals
Everyone has different beliefs and opinions about crystals.
Some people swear by them, some believe they are a complete scam, and others consider them evil, Satanic witchcraft (which is an absolutely ridiculous theory considering they are literally beautiful, molecule-formed shiny rocks that come from the Earth).
Now, using crystals for meditation is certainly a personal choice and they are by no means necessary for a fulfilling meditation.
Many people are under the impression that those who practice with crystals are worshipping them and believing they have magic powers. While this may be true in some cases, many people don’t actually look at crystals in this extreme way.
The more I got into spirituality, I decided it wouldn’t hurt to give them a try, and even if I got no benefit it wouldn’t hurt to have a few pretty rocks.
I do not worship crystals or see them as “Gods” by any means, but I personally feel that they benefit me because of their energetic connection to the Earth and nature.
Grounding yourself with the Earth can do wonders for your overall well-being and amplify your manifestations.
One amazing thing I noticed was that on days my meditations are really powerful, my crystals will become tingly and warm in my hands.
Do they actually work?
That doesn’t matter.
There’s something about holding and connecting to a physical object from nature that heightens your practice and makes you appreciate the world around you.
It all comes down to the mindset going into your practice and that in itself makes meditation a much more exciting experience.
4) Stop Procrastinating
This is something I’ve done numerous times.
I’ll get up in the morning and tell myself “Eh, I’ll just meditate later”.
Then later rolls around and guess what never happened?
Meditation.
One of the most important things I’ve learned throughout my spiritual journey is for meditation to be the first thing you do when you wake up.
Of course, this is easier said than done and trust me, I still have days where I’ll let my procrastination give in, but I learned that in order to reap the true benefits of meditation it must become a daily practice.
5) Short Meditations Are Better than No Meditations
Now, for those who just read my advice on procrastination and are thinking:
“Some people don’t have time to take forty minutes out of their day to meditate, people have responsibilities, you know!?”
Well, who said you had to meditate for forty minutes every single day?
When I first started meditating, most of the tapes I practiced with were at least a half-hour. While it’s true that the longer the meditation the more effective, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with incorporating a ten to fifteen-minute meditation into your daily routine.
Sometimes, on super busy days when I’m really pressed for time, I’ll even do a five-minute meditation. This might sound like nothing, but you’d be surprised what a simple five minutes of mindfulness can do.
Always remember that a short meditation is better than no meditation. The best meditation is the meditation that you will do.
6) Nature
What is more peaceful than hearing the crashing of waves or the chirping of birds while you meditate?
And no, I’m not talking about the meditative audio in your ears, I’m talking about actual waves and birds!
Meditating in nature will take your meditations to a whole new level. You can do this sitting on a park bench, relaxing on the beach, or simply lounging on a lawn chair in your backyard.
This is especially beneficial if your intention with meditation is to become more spiritually enlightened.
Connecting to the life around you will raise your vibration and make your meditation practice a truly blissful experience.
Meditation as a Lifestyle
Those were 6 ways to make meditation not feel like a chore.
Meditation is ultimately what you make of it. Whether that means meditating in the morning, at night, one time a day, three times a day, five minutes, thirty minutes, one hour, there is no right or wrong way to practice meditation.
By finding a mediation technique personalized to you, meditation will be something you crave each day, like your morning cup of coffee.
So instead of telling yourself, “I should really meditate”, why not start today?