Practicing meditation offers multiple benefits, including improving our emotional health, our memory,  our personal awareness, and happiness, as well as developing emotional intelligence and relieving stress.

Why does meditation work?

Through meditation we gain control of what goes through our mind and knowledge about what our body feels; we can even reach a state of deep relaxation, because anxiety represents an excess of the future, while depression represents an excess of the past; and we usually wander between the future and the past but rarely focus on the present.

But with the present something completely different happens, because we live one second at a time and it is through the here and now that we can find the peace and calm that we need.

How do I meditate?

For effective meditation, you simply need to keep your mind empty and focused. It may sound simple, but if you meditate for the first time, you'll see that after a few seconds of silence your mind will start to wander, but don't worry, there are techniques that can help you to gradually improve your concentration.

Before you start, you can play relaxing music, sounds of nature or white noises to follow your meditation time, then choose a comfortable place to sit or lie down (if you are a beginner it is better to choose to sit on a couch or on a cushion on the floor to avoid falling asleep) Finally, close your eyes and begin to focus on your breathing. If something crosses your mind, just let that thought pass.

Connecting by candlelight

You can use candles as an object of contemplation to increase your concentration by focusing your gaze on the little flames.

Place the candle at your eye level (so that staring at it is comfortable), turn off the lights, and focus again on your breathing and the subtle movement of the flame. If you are interrupted by any thoughts, let them go, and return to focusing on the glowing light of the candle. 

When you need to rest, close your eyes for a few seconds and take a few deep breaths so you can continue your practice.

End your meditation session by thanking the universe and yourself for your efforts. You will notice that with practice you will improve your concentration and performance in various aspects of your life that you would not have imagined. Meditation might seem simple, but placing yourself in the present is a very powerful act.

Remember that the past has fled, that what you wish for is absent, and that the present is yours. - Namaste