Meditation: Breathe in and out

"Ping", my smartphone says. I know what it means. As it does every day at 9:30am, it gives me a signal to start meditating.

I sit on a comfortable chair and become calm; breathe in and breathe out.

“Take a look at your body. How does it feel today?” That’s the question I ask myself and it’s one that is easier to answer some days over others. Sometimes I find myself struggling with my MS fatigue for example. Or I had a bad night’s sleep and am tired as a result.

I meditate for ten minutes a day, which may not sound like much, but when I am experiencing fatigue or if I know I have a never-ending to-do list, putting aside even this small amount of time can be hard. What I’ve learnt is that those ten minutes will transform my outlook for the rest of the day and, whether I’m in the mood for it or not, I know I will feel better afterwards, so it’s always worth it.

I started with meditation some years ago with an old-fashioned audio CD; I was looking for relaxation. I felt stressed and struggled with my MS. I was looking for something which was flexible enough to do it whenever I wanted and wherever I wanted.

I had tried Yoga and lots of other activities. Then a Doctor mentioned meditation. “You can stay at home and do it wherever you want“, he said, and he gave me the CD and I started. At the beginning, it felt totally unusual for me to sit down, breathe and let things flow. After a little while, I started to notice that meditation calms me down. It brings consciousness to my body and helps to change my perspective. I also noticed that my blood pressure comes down, my pain reduces, the number of sleepless nights lessen and I am more relaxed. I’ve also learnt to me more easy-going. I am able to take a look at the big picture and to stay more focused. I am more patient as well, which is a big benefit; for me, my MS, with others and in life.

Meditation helps me manage my job too. When you have a heavy schedule and are rushing through the day, you tend not to take care of yourself properly. Not very healthy, right? We all are “infected” by this virus called “daily business and stress“, where we fight to see our way through the chaos of the day. Just taking a small moment to meditate can give us the opportunity to clear our minds and can help us make better decisions.

For years I have had Apps like “Head Space“ and “Calm“ on my smartphone so that I can meditate wherever I go. I travel a lot and I am a very active person, so there’s nothing better than being able to meditate on the go, when there is a good time to do it. Whether if it’s on a plane or in the waiting zone before an MRI Scan. For me, as a person with claustrophobia, there is nothing better than having a technique to overcome my feelings in the MRI machine.

Meditation isn’t a magic bullet, but it helps me to feel more stable. Try it and be calm. Breathe in and breathe out.