Monday 12 March 2018

Self-Care and Meditation



If you follow me on social media then you'll have probably seen how much I adore mediating, it makes me feel so positive and relaxed, so I wanted to share some tips with you all to see if you would ever like to try meditation yourself.

Before we get onto how wonderful meditation is, let's have a quick talk about the benefits of what meditation can do for you. The most popular benefits of meditation are; reducing pain and enhances the body's immune system, reducing the feelings of depression, anxiety, anger and confusion, increasing your blood flow and slowing your heart rate. Meditation provides a sense of calm, peace and balance in your mind, body and soul, it also helps reduce heart disease, helps control your thoughts, increases your energy and reduces stress and that is all just to name a few ways meditating can help. If you're new to meditating or just don't know where to begin, here are my top tips to help:

|| Breath || Don't try and "calm your mind". Instead, appreciate the sensations of your breath in the same way that a wine snob tastes a cabernet. When your mind starts wandering away into thoughts, just recognise that you're thinking. The return to appreciating the sensations of your breath.

|| Arms/Hands || Relax your shoulders and arms, letting your hands rest on your thighs. Alternately, pace one hand on another in your lip.

|| Legs/Feet || If you're sitting in a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. If you're sitting cross-legged on a cushion, the important thing is to have your knees below your hips. If you need a higher seat for this, make one.

|| Emotions || Long-term meditators show increased size in brain regions associated with emotional regulation. "Larger volumes in these regions might account for meditators' singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behaviour," according to a UCLA study.

|| Eyes || Decide what you're going to do with your eyes. If you want the experience to be more body-based, close them. If you want to feel more anchored in the space you're in, keep them open.

|| Time || Meditation isn't about length; it's about frequency. In the same way you don't get strong by lighting one giant weight one time, you should try and sit regularly. Five or ten minutes a day is a great start.


"If you seek peace, be still. If you seak wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself." - Becca Lee. I hope you all have the most wonderful, peaceful and magical day. Namaste.


With love, Alisha Valerie. x

75 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I'm so happy that you think so lovely! Thank you 🌸✨

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  2. This post is so helpful. When I can’t get to sleep I meditate and use self love. I start at my toes and relax all of my body until I fall asleep!!

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    1. That is such an awesome idea beautiful, love it! Thank you for your comment
      🌸✨

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  3. I use a breathing meditation app before bed and it definitely helps x

    www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk

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    1. So happy to hear that it helps you hun 🌸✨

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  4. This is a fab post and so helpful! I’ve been wanting to start meditating, either in the mornings or before bed, for a while now but haven’t really known where to start, so thanks for this!

    Quick question, would you say it’s better to meditate in the morning or at night?

    Emily x
    http://puttheworldtowrites.co.uk/

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    1. I can't recommend meditation enough lovely, it has helped me so much in my everyday life. I personally recommend in the morning for good energy and positivity, and at night time for guided meditations for lucid dreaming. However, Michael Sealey on YouTube does guided mediations which are
      incedible so I can't recommend trying them enough. 🌸✨

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  5. Great post, I had no idea there were so many benefits of meditation! Sounds like I could use this when I'm struggling to sleep!

    Sarah | http://www.sazsinclair.com xx

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    1. I really recommend darling as it really does help a lot. Thank you for your comment 🌸✨

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  6. I love meditating. I find it so calming and relaxing. I try to either start my day with meditation (but that means getting up earlier 😂) or I try to end my day. I prefer starting my day with it as I feel so much calmer on those days!
    Those are some great tips!

    Ciara | teatimewithciara.com

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    1. Thank you so much for such a lovely comment babe, so happy that you already meditate and how much it helps you 🌸✨

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  7. I'm awful at taking time to just sit and breathe. My mind is forever switched on and thinking about the next thing. This sounds like great advice. I'll be sure to try it x

    Sophie
    www.glowsteady.co.uk

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    1. You should try guided meditations beautiful, they really help for people who are anxious and can't control themselves enough to relax. Hope it helps you babe 🌸✨

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  8. This is such an informative post, I had no idea how many benefits there are to meditating. As someone who suffers with severe anxiety and pain I’m sure it could help I need to give it a go

    Melanie | www.frasersfunhouse.com

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    1. I really, really hope that this blog post helps you in so many ways babe. I've found that meditating has really helped my anxiety so would highly recommend doing so 🌸✨

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  9. Thank you so much for such a wonderful comment beautiful. I really hope that you really enjoy meditating as much as I do, and the fact that you already
    do yoga is wonderful! 🌸✨

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  10. One of my clients advocates meditation every day, even if it's only for five minutes. She says we should focus on listening to ourselves rather than expecting to get anything out of the process, that meditation is something to practice and any by-product is a bonus. I haven't yet managed to incorporate it into my day-to-day but after reading your post I'm going to try! xx

    Lisa | www.lisasnotebook.com

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    1. I really couldn't agree more darling, meditation is such an awesome thing and I would recommend it to everyone! Thanks for your comment 🌸✨

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  11. I really need to give meditation a go! You've given really helpful tips and information on the benefits and I'm going to go away and give it a go when I feel anxious xx Thank you for sharing lovely xxx

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    1. You really should do babe, I think it would really help you so much! Hope you're going to feel better soon, thanks for your comment gorgeous 🌸✨

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  12. Great post! I have the tattoo “breathe”, to remind me to focus on my breathing, especially in moments of crisis. ❤️

    ReplyDelete
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    1. That sounds beautiful babe, so happy to hear that! 🌸✨

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  13. I really want to get more into meditation so these tips are really helpful, thanks for sharing!
    Aleeha xXx
    http://www.halesaaw.co.uk/

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    1. You're more than welcome, really hope that you have a great relaxing time trying meditation 🌸✨

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  14. Since starting Yoga, I've been so focused and conscious about my breath. Just breathing can have SUCH a huge positive and calming impact. Especially when I'm in the doctors waiting room, which tends to bring up SO much anxiety in me. Just breathing through it can help.

    Jenny
    http://www.jennyinneverland.com

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    1. I couldn't agree with you more beautiful, I am so happy to know that it's been helping you. 🌸✨

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  15. Absolutely love this, we really need to spread the word more and more about meditation!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I am so happy that you agree babe! 🌸✨

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  16. I used to meditate as a teen and as you say, focus on my own breath. It helped me a lot in stressful situations such as college and university. Taking deep breaths and relaxing and letting it go just helps ease your mind doesn't it? Need to start again. Great tips Alisha!

    Much love, Lisa | www.ohluna.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I am so happy to hear that you liked this blog post beautiful and can relate to my tips on breathing. Thanks so much for your comment, I'm so happy to hear that controlling your breathing has been helping you 🌸✨

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  17. What some great tips. I’ve never meditated before but I feel like I should really start! ❤️

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you so much, I highly recommend trying it lovely! 🌸✨

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  18. I should really try meditation someday, it just seems so relaxing

    Rebecca Elaine x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is lovely, I can't recommend it enough 🌸✨

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  19. Great post - I love meditating, such a good way to relax and free your mind xx

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I'm so happy to hear that lovely! 🌸✨

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  20. I absolutely love meditation! The app headspace makes me beyond happy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've heard of this app but never tried it myself, I may give it a go. Thanks for your comment lovely 🌸✨

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  21. These are awesome tips! I've been kind of on and off with committing to it, but after reading your post I think it's definitely time to try again.

    Chloe www.brunchspeak.com

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    1. Oh darling please try it, you won't regret it! Meditation is such a wonderful thing that can help in all different ways 🌸✨

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  22. These are some really great tips! I find I have to close my eyes or I will just look around the room too much.

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    1. It sounds like you need to relax your mind a little more babe, I'd advise trying guided meditations? Thanks for your comment 🌸✨

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  23. I'd love to put these tips into practice in my day-to-day life, thank you for sharing them! xx

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    1. You're more than welcome, I really hope that my tips help you in your day-to-day life lovely 🌸✨

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  24. I'd love to do this but it just ain't practical with a toddler, my mediation is a glass of wine!

    Gemma Louise

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    1. I can totally understand that lovely. However, there are also meditations for yourself and your toddler on YouTube, or five minute meditations when your baby is asleep 🌸✨

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  25. I used to meditate but haven’t for a while now and I really want to again. So many great tips in here to help me.

    http://littlemissmelanie.com

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    1. Thank you so much lovely. Try and get into it again? It's such a wonderful thing! 🌸✨

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  26. I have recently taken up doing yoga practices before I go to bed to calm my mind for sleep - meditation is usually involved in this and I find it so relaxing! Thank you for all of your tips!

    Abbey 💞 http://www.abbeylouisarose.co.uk

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    1. You're more than welcome beautiful. So happy to hear that you've started yoga, thanks for your comment 🌸✨

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  27. I absolutely adore doing mindfulness, I need to get better at practicing it every day so I can really switch my mind off before work! I love how you've broken it down in to easy to follow steps!
    Kate x
    http://www.findingkate.co

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    1. You're more than welcome, I'm super happu to hear that you adore mindfulness babe. Thank you for your comment 🌸✨

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  28. I sometimes do breathing meditation before bed and it definitely helps x

    www.ofbeautyandnothingness.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Really happy to hear that it helps you 🌸✨

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  29. I’ve never really tried meditating but heard great things about it. Thanks for sharing your tips, definitely useful for us beginners!

    Jessica & James | www.foodandbaker.co.uk / www.foodandbakertravels.co.uk

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    1. I would really recommend it beautiful's, it's such a wonderful magical thing to
      do and really helps relax you and stay positive 🌸✨

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  30. Meditaion is the best! I love meditating!

    Love, Amie ❤
    The Curvaceous Vegan

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I'm super happy to hear that you already love meditating beautiful 🌸✨

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  31. These are great tips! Thanks for sharing x

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    1. You're more than welcome, really hope it helps 🌸✨

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  32. These tips are so interesting! I need to start taking a little more time every now and then for self care, so maybe I’ll give this a go!
    Hayley
    Lifethroughtsg.com

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    1. I really hope it helped you if you do babe 🌸✨

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  33. Focusing on breathing is absolutely huge for me and maintaining my emotions when I'm feeling anxious. Meditation has really made a difference for me.

    xoxo, Harley

    http://thebalancedbelles.com

    ReplyDelete
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    1. I'm super happy to hear that it's helped you 🌸✨

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  34. This is such a great post lady! I need to practice meditation a bit more, I try to do it along with my yoga but meditation can be amazing for so many things can't it :) x x
    Ellis // http://www.elliswoolley.co.uk

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    1. Super happy to hear that you already do yoga babe but please also try meditation sometime 🌸✨

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  35. I picked up a few meditation tips from doing it at the end of my pilates classes - so now I use them often when I'm feeling a little tired or stressed. You've taught me a couple more in this post too babe, so thank you for sharing! xo
    Sian | www.siankathrine.co.uk

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    1. You're more than welcome beautiful and I'm so hoping that the tips I've shared have helped you a little bit 🌸✨

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  36. Love this post! I have tried meditation before but never really got on with it, so want to try again - definitely going to take your tips into account.

    Amy | hookedonthemusic.com

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    1. I highly recommend doing so lovely, it's such a wonderful thing! 🌸✨

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  37. I am hoping same best effort from you in the future as well. In fact your creative writing skills has inspired me.
    personal development goals

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