Some make the practice of taking some time out of the day to be still and calm. Some call it prayer, some call it meditation. It is known that the regular practice of meditation and/or prayer can reduce stress levels. It can also help your life perspective. Even though we know the benefits, it can be hard to incorporate mediation and prayer into your life.
If you get bored with your regular practice you can try some other types of prayer/meditation. People sometimes feel that mediation is a chore. If it becomes a job to you, you are not likely to keep up with it. To get the most benefits, you should mediate at least once a week. If you don’t like it, you can always change it up. Remember time and patience is key.
Silence
Even if mediation is not for you, take at least five minutes per day to just sit in silence. As you sit quietly, just take note of your thoughts and feelings and set them aside for a later. Don’t engage with the thoughts at this time. You can always release them by visualizing them as a balloon to let go into the air.
You may find it helpful to focus on an idea or word to center yourself. If you still find it difficult to sit in silence, imagine that you are having a conversation with the universe and that it is your turn to listen.
Helping others
Something that may help you is to devote your mediation and prayer time to others. Think about friends or family members. Focusing your quiet time to send energy others will help you stick to you practice.
Breath as a prayer
As you know, breathing is central to all life. You can use this powerful force to help you with your meditation practice. Use your breath as the center of your focus. Find a way that works for you. You can hold your breath for specific amounts of time, or you can try focusing on a thought or image as you breathe in and out. This is up to you. Find what works best for you.
Daily Examen
Although deeply rooted in Christian tradition this can be modified to suit your person beliefs. This works begins with looking at and reviewing your day. Think over your interactions and actions throughout your day. When you think about it, look at what stands out. Give thanks for the good things and be grateful for the strength to get through the rough patches. An important thing to remember to acknowledge the good things and ask for help when you need to do better.
Mediation and prayer can always be modified to align with your own beliefs. You can research different ways to practice until you find the one that works best for you.