You Don't Have to be a Pro (or a Hippie) to Meditate

Alex Allen | The New Cultural Narrative

Meditation is a wonderful practice that can be used as a tool to improve overall health, reduce stress, and achieve inner peace. But the best thing about meditation is the fact that you don't have to be a professional (or a hippie) to use it.

If you're anything like the average Joe, you probably think of Buddhist Monks, tranquil waterfalls, and tree-hugging, pot-smoking hippies from the West Coast when you hear the word "meditation." This is definitely the mindset I once had regarding the practice but I have since come to realize that meditation is not some hipster, holier than thou nonsense that's only used by people who need a way to prove that they're better than everyone else. It's actually a very useful tool that can help to improve many aspects of your life and numerous studies have proven just that. So in this article I'd like to clear up a few common misconceptions about meditation, explain what it really is, talk about my experience with it, and explain how you can get into practicing it yourself.  

Is meditation just for Buddhists and Hippies?  

Yes, Buddhists and Hippies both practice a lot of meditation. But they're not the only ones who practice it and they're definitely not the only ones who can benefit from it. In fact, many prominent celebrities have spoken out in support of meditation. Popular guitarist Steve Vai has spoken about his transcendental meditation, saying that it is "one of the best ways to find inner peace and balance in your outer life." Comedian Russell Brand also practices meditation and has even said that it has helped him in his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Hugh Jackman, Howard Stern, Clint Eastwood, Paul McCartney, and Oprah Winfrey are just a few other prominent figures who have had positive experiences with meditation.  

Why I started meditating 

So why did I start practicing meditation? Just because Oprah does it? Not hardly. I started practicing meditation because I needed an escape. Let’s face it. Life can be pretty crazy for the average person. Just trying to make it through each day can be an exhausting task sometimes. When I first started meditation I was actually still in school. I just graduated from High School this past school year and for the last one and a half to two years of my school life I was not only juggling school work and home life but trying to market myself in the independent media as well. I was coming home from school, hitting the books, and then spending the rest of the evening writing articles, doing podcasts, working on various projects for YouTube, and so forth. At one point I finally decided that I needed to take a break and breathe. And that’s exactly what meditation was able to offer me. 

What meditation has done for me 

Meditation can affect certain people differently. For me, it has had a wide range of benefits including an overall improvement of my mental and physical strength, increased alertness and concentration, positive mood changes, and higher levels of confidence. 

1. Health Benefits - When I've been meditating a lot I'm definitely able to notice an improvement of my overall health. I don't feel tired or groggy, I don't get run down so easily, and it seems as though my immune system has been given a boost. Of course I try to live a decently healthy lifestyle outside of meditation. I try to avoid a lot of GMOs and chemicals, I try to eat organic foods as often as possible, and I'll usually try herbal remedies like organic teas and hot, steamy showers to cure sickness as opposed to taking over-the-counter or prescription medication. But even if I've been slacking on my diet and exercise I can still feel the positive effects of the meditation on my health. 

2. Alertness and Concentration - This is the biggie for me. I'm usually jumping from one project to the next and trying to juggle multiple tasks at the same time. So I can sometimes become very scatter brained and, well, lost ... What meditation allows me to do is shut everything out and focus on living in the moment. That helps me to slow down and take everything one step at a time, which also tends to improve the quality of my work. 

3. Positive mood changes - Okay, I admit it. I can sometimes be a bit of an ass. When I've been very busy I tend to smart off to people and be in a pretty crappy mood. I'm talking the kind of mood that would cause people to question the urine content in my breakfast cereal. But yet again, meditation is there to help. If I'm feeling tense and angry I'll usually try to sit down and meditate for a little bit. Surprisingly, it does wonders for my mood and sometimes just a few short minutes of quiet meditation can cause me to bounce back to my normal, happy-go-lucky self. 

4. Higher levels of confidence & Improved social skills - I'm not a very social person. To anyone who knows me personally, this would not come as a huge shocker. Between being an only child and growing up in the middle of nowhere, (My next door neighbor is a tree.) I was pretty much set up to fail in the social world. A lot of times if I'm around a large group of people or in a highly social setting I tend to get very tense and shut down. I often just sit back and watch people interact while I look like a creepy serial killer over in the corner. (I've actually had people tell me they thought I was a serial killer before. Ass holes.) If I've been meditating, however, I notice a complete change in my confidence and social skills. I can usually go into a crowded room and start kissing hands and shaking babies like a real genuine charismatic politician ... Wait, did I say that right?  

I don't know anything about meditation. How can I start?  

One of the most common misconceptions about meditation is that you have to know something about it to start practicing it. I had no idea what I was doing when I first started but I now realize that there's nothing to it. So here are a few pointers to help get you started on your first meditation session. 

1. Find a quiet place - Your environment is likely the most important factor when it comes to meditation and the quieter, the better. Don't sit down right in front of the TV or next to a stereo with loud music blaring. Of course you don't have to sit near a valley filled with blooming flowers or a misty waterfall surrounded by rocks. (although that would probably be ideal) All you have to do is find a place where there isn't much going on. A quiet bedroom would work just fine and hey, if you're in a busy household where there's something going on everywhere, try the bathroom. There's nothing wrong with finding your zen on the crapper. (Although I wouldn't recommend doing your business WHILE you're meditating) 

Another important thing to remember is that some noise is okay. In fact, certain noises tend to help some people relax. When I first started meditating I noticed that listening to YouTube videos of waterfalls and rain showers helped me tremendously. A little quiet instrumental music is usually okay too. (Sorry, no death metal) 

2. Shut EVERYTHING off - Now that you've found your quiet place it's time to shut off all distractions. In today's technologically advanced society it seems as though we're always waiting for something; a call, email, text, tweet, Facebook message - you name it. That anticipation of seeing that little notification icon or hearing your phone buzz can cause you to forget to live in the moment, which is what meditation is all about. So before you even think about meditating, shut off your phone, turn off your computer, and put those tablets away. Don't worry, you can always turn them back on when you're done. 

3. Get in a comfortable position - You don't have to be in a cross-legged "Zen" pose to meditate. Find a position that's comfortable for you. I find that the traditional meditation pose works well for me but for some it's very uncomfortable. Remember that meditation is all about achieving inner peace. You're probably not going to be able to achieve much peace and happiness if your leg feels like it's being stretched halfway across the back of your neck. 

4. Breathe - This is the final and most important step. Just breathe. The whole idea of meditation is to focus on your breathing. If you can focus on something as simple as that you can shut everything else out and truly live in the moment. It might take a little time so don't get frustrated. Just sit in your happy place and start breathing slowly until that's all you're thinking about. 

I sincerely hope this article was helpful in clearing up any common misconceptions about meditation. Some other things that can be helpful in achieving that "inner peace" are "binaural beats" and guided meditation sessions, both of which can be found in various places across the world wide web. If you would like to learn more about meditation or perhaps perfect the art, there are numerous books, articles, and studies that have been compiled on the subject. But for just basic meditation to clear your head there's not much else you need to know.