Spring is coming into its own and, of course, this contributes to our elevated sunny mood. But we all have mood swings in life, and often they happen suddenly, some elusive change, an external factor, and suddenly we are overcome with anxiety: how little time there is, so much needs to be done, the number of desires and goals is growing, and the rhythm our lives are speeding up.

This is where meditation comes to the rescue, which is useful for maintaining a good mood throughout the year and, you see, it’s good when your mood does not depend on weather conditions.

When Elle Woods, the law student in Legally Blonde, argued that her client, the glamorous Brooke Windham, was innocent, she argued that Windham couldn't have been guilty because "exercise releases endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. And happy people don't shoot their husbands. They just don’t shoot!” And she was right, at least when it came to exercise and endorphins.

Someone might suggest that meditation, being a form of breathing exercise, corresponds to this statement, and he would be right: meditation can help improve your mood. According to New York Times writer and author of The Science of Yoga: Risks and Rewards, William J. Broad, yoga and meditation, when practiced regularly, can play an important role in maintaining a good mood. Relaxing muscle tension, changing the chemical balance of the blood through breathing exercises, fine-tuning the nervous system - these are just a few scientifically studied options that meditation improves overall well-being.

Meditation is a special practice of training our consciousness and, accordingly, our mood. I suggest you plunge into meditation for a couple of minutes.

Spring Meditation

For this meditation, choose your favorite flowers that your loved ones probably gave you, flowers that are associated with pleasant memories and joyful moments. These can be lilies, roses, tulips, or any house flowers in a pot.

So let's get started.

• Look at the flowers, look at them not from the usual mental concept that “these are flowers,” but try to see life in them.
• Inhale the aroma of flowers, completely immerse yourself in it.
• Carefully examine the shape, color and outline of the flower.
• Touch the flower and notice the sensation in your body, concentrate on your breathing and look at the flower.
• If you notice that you are distracted, simply note what exactly it was, and then return to meditation again. Be aware of your thoughts and emotions and watch them come and go.
• Close your eyes and keep your attention in the center of your chest, visualizing a light brighter than the sun, imagining that you are inhaling through this center and exhaling
• Feel your palms and feet and slowly open your eyes

Happiness is the ability to look at familiar and familiar things with different eyes. You may have already felt how easily we miss beautiful moments and how little attention we pay to them. What brings you joy?

In meditation, quality is important, not quantity: 20 minutes in a state of mental silence is much more peaceful than 60 minutes of frantically thinking about pressing matters. But, unfortunately, it is often not so easy to tune in to practice even in our busy schedule. We spend the time we find not on meditation, but only on an unsuccessful attempt to relax. There are 5 ways to quickly tune in to meditation practice and let go of unnecessary thoughts.

1. Prepare the environment. Try to choose a place where you will not be disturbed. Warn your loved ones not to enter your room for the next 20 minutes, or plan a meditation schedule in advance when no one will be home, or maybe you have a secret place that no one knows about except you. If there is no such place, and there is always noise and commotion at home, meditate early in the morning, for example, at 6 am, when no one can disturb you. Create a cozy atmosphere: light candles, incense, turn off your mobile phone, turn on pleasant, soothing music and tune in to a favorable day.
2. Set an intention. Setting an intention is a great way to get all the benefits that meditation has to offer. This way you set the right direction and tone for your meditation, rather than just drifting in silence. Ask yourself: “Why am I meditating?” Perhaps you want to feel connected to the Divine, find harmony and peace, understand yourself, tune in to achieving goals, and so on. No matter what the purpose of your meditation is, consciously modeling your intention will only ensure maximum benefit.
3. Ask a question. This method is not very different, but it differs from the second. Here we are not forming an intention, but asking an explanatory question, “Who am I? What is my purpose? It will help you feel better, connect with your inner self, and answer some of the most important questions in your life. It is not necessary to actually ask questions and answer them like a blackboard. You may not put your thoughts into words, but simply feel the answer. It may be a split second, but it will be enough.
4. Write down the thoughts that distract you. If, during the process of meditation, you catch yourself thinking about what gift to give your friend for her birthday, or wondering what your husband is doing now, write these points down on a piece of paper. You can even keep a notepad and pen next to you and write down while you meditate if extraneous thoughts are particularly distracting. This method is usually a great way to clear your mind.
5. Listen to audio meditation. If you find it difficult to focus your attention and not think about other things, audio meditation is a great solution. Download any topic that interests you and enjoy.

Photo: talia_sutra/instagram.com

Favorite meditation for beginners and experienced

If you're feeling down and wondering how to improve your mood, meditation can help. Meditation, which I recently discovered, is not easy. Its goal is not only to calm the mind and body, but also to be filled with creative energy - energy that radically changes your emotional state, the degree of love, and inspires action. To be honest, today this meditation is my favorite part of my day, because it really lifts my spirits.

I would like to clarify right away that this method is not only for those who have experience in immersing themselves in a meditative state. This meditation is also suitable for beginners.

How to improve your mood: the essence of the method

As the basis for this meditation, I took one of the exercises described in Rhonda Byrne’s book “Magic” (for those who don’t know, the book is not about magic in the traditional sense, but about the magic of gratitude). It's called the "Magic List of Solved Problems." The essence of the exercise is to make a list of all unresolved problems in a person’s life - from small, everyday problems to serious ones. You can add anything to the list. At the same time, it is very advisable to include in it those points that you cannot solve alone. Once you've made your list, choose three things you want to work on today (then choose a few problems each day and do what's described below). Next, close your eyes and begin to imagine that your problem has been miraculously solved - all the means and resources were found for the solution, all the people, the circumstances worked out in the best way for you. When your problems are solved, you feel extremely grateful. Stay in this state. And now I propose to go further. After your life has miraculously improved, imagine what you will do when you are free from problems. How can you be useful in this world, how can you serve other living beings, God? Let the pictures appear before your eyes. When I did this meditation the first few times, I saw before my eyes not only options for how I could realize myself most fully in this world. I imagined (the pictures came naturally) how I forgive my parents for everything and ask them for forgiveness, how I make my family members happy, how I help my husband achieve success, etc.

To enhance the effect of meditation, I perform it with music. But I choose not a special meditative one, but simply a favorite one - the one that inspires me. One of my favorite songs for meditation right now is “Flashlight” by emerging American singer (and famous video blogger) Bethany Mota. If you're interested, it's on YouTube.

During meditation, you may have a feeling that you are spinning or shaking a little (now I’m writing about this and it’s as if I’m in meditation myself...). Don't be afraid, this is normal. The energy of love is very powerful and at the moment of meditation it has a beneficial effect on you. Come out of meditation calmly, within a few minutes.

I promise you a powerful surge of energy. And besides, it is quite possible that you will have insights that will show you where to move, how to stop blocking your energy, your potential. Most likely, new ideas will begin to come to you (by the way, pay attention to the pictures that you see during meditation, they can also become a source of fresh ideas).

If you are still wondering how to cheer up, I advise you to try this simple but very effective method.

With wishes of love, your Polina.

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