For a lot of people out there, meditation might sound a little skeptical. You might think of it as something to sage related practice that’s not carried out by common people and hence it might occur to you as to why do we meditate. And specially if you are an overthinker, someone whose brain is full of thoughts all the time, making a mole out of a mole hill, doing meditation might seem like the impossible thing to do. But the impact of sitting down silent for a few minutes everyday to clear your mind can be profound to reduce overthinking.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how mindfulness meditation helps overthinkers discover inner peace amidst the chaos of their thoughts. From understanding how to do meditation, the detrimental effects of overthinking to practical tips on getting started with meditation including the best time to meditate, and experiencing its benefits, we’ll embark on a journey towards clarity of mind.
Try to understand the purpose of meditation. Meditation isn’t just helpful to reduce stress and anxiety. In fact, it has been proven to enhance your mind performance and that’s why people meditate for different reasons, including seeking inner peace, gaining self-awareness, enhancing focus, boosting creativity, enhancing long term memory and cultivating mindfulness.
Additionally, meditation is a powerful practice to counter overthinking and relax the mind. By cultivating awareness in the present-moment and focusing on the breath or bodily sensations, overthinkers can break free from the cycle of excessive thinking and find a deeper sense of relaxation and inner calm.
By understanding the purpose behind meditation, overthinkers can approach their practice with intention and clarity.
Overthinking has profound long term negative effects on mental health, leading to increased stress, heightened anxiety, and problems in decision-making. The overwhelming nature of overthinking may cause you to feel mentally exhausted and emotionally drained. If you want to break free from the overthinking cycle, it’s crucial to recognize and address these effects.
Meditation can serve as a powerful tool for calming your overactive mind. By practicing meditation, you can learn to observe your thoughts without getting entangled in them. This heightened self-awareness allows overthinkers like you to experience a sense of calm and peace, even in a stressful situation.
One of the keys to overcoming overthinking is learning to cultivate present-moment awareness. Meditation helps overthinkers shift their focus to the here and now, allowing them to break free from the cycle of rumination. Discover how mindfulness meditation can guide overthinkers to embrace the present moment and find peace within themselves.
Also read: What is the best time to meditate- Morning, evening or?
Setting realistic expectations and goals
Starting a meditation practice as an overthinker requires setting realistic expectations and goals. We will emphasize the importance of patience and self-compassion throughout the process, as progress in meditation often comes gradually.
Choosing a suitable meditation technique
To begin meditation, overthinkers can explore various techniques that suit their needs. Mindfulness meditation, with its focus on non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, is particularly beneficial. Guided meditation, where a recorded voice or app provides instructions and support, can also be helpful for overthinkers. Experiment with different techniques to find what resonates with you.
New to meditation? Read about what type of meditation is the right fit for you.
Establishing a consistent meditation practice
Like any other thing, consistency is key when it comes to reaping the benefits of meditation. And you don’t even have to devote hours on a daily basis to meditate. Just 10 minutes of meditation is enough.
Meditate with other people
Although meditation may feel like a personal act, there are numerous benefits of meditating with others, especially when you tend to overthink a lot.
It helps you:
• Break free from thought loops
• Find accountability
• Cultivate a sense of community
• Enhancing focus and energy
Start with focusing on your breath
A major tool or secret weapon with regards to meditation is your breath. Whenever you feel nervous, stressed or anxious, you’re often advised to take deep breaths. That’s because slowing down your breath calms the nervous system and lessens your anxiety. Additionally, it serves as a focal point during meditation to bounce back from worrisome thoughts.
Use music with meditation
Music can deepen the meditative state and foster a feeling of relaxation. Level Supermind has a whole bunch of music for you meant for specific purposes like focus, creativity, self awareness and easing out stress and anxiety. Also, there are specific tunes and musical ragas that you can use while studying, working or sleeping.
Wandering thoughts? Don’t worry
Having a monkey mind? It’s fine. It’s completely normal to have your mind distracted by thoughts while meditating. But beating yourself up doesn’t really help with being in a meditative state. So, whenever a thought enters your mind while meditating, just acknowledge it and bring your mind back to your breath or any other focal point you may be concentrating on.
As you start your meditation journey, you might question yourself, “What should I think while meditating?” Well there are various focal points you can base your meditation on which will help you stay focused and bring your mind to a state of calm. To know this, read:
What to think during meditation?
The best to counter your habit of overthinking is by consciously reminding yourself to come back to the present moment. That’s when mindfulness meditation comes to play.
With Level Supermind, you can access both guided and unguided meditations in 7 different languages, whether your level is that of a beginner, intermediate or advanced. Some of the meditations you can try out are:
5 min stress buster: Do a quick scan meditation, meditate with nature sounds, revisit a good memory and work on being in the present moment with 5 min quick meditations under this category.
Become self aware: Be more confident, strengthen your intuition, cleanse you chakras or energy centers, shift your perspective and eliminate negative beliefs by being in a meditative state.
Ease anxiety and stress: Your on-the-go meditation will help you let go of upsetting thoughts and calm your senses.
Stop panicking in exams: Do you have test anxiety? Learn how to handle pressure, increase self confidence and perform your best in exams through this meditation.
India has a rich tradition of meditation, with various techniques and practices that have been passed down through generations. From ancient yogic traditions to modern mindfulness techniques, the diverse landscape of meditation in India offers overthinkers a wealth of resources and knowledge to explore.