What My Meditation Practice Actually Looks Like

January 5, 2023

Need a little more Zen in your life? Here’s what my daily meditation practice actually looks like.

Meditation is not just about creating a moment of peace. It’s about providing ourselves with one moment where we can reconnect with our inner selves and higher power – so we can walk into the next moment with more peace, clarity and wisdom.

For me, meditation is much more than a place of quiet stillness. It gives me more than clarity and peace. In my life, meditation has been a place of spiritual refuge – a place where I can reconnect with my soul and feel supported on a soul level. Yes, meditation is an amazing way to slow down your thoughts and take a break from the world around you.

But by deepening your practice, meditation can also be a daily opportunity to remember and connect to the essence of who you truly are. Ultimately, it moves you closer to where you want to be.

That’s why I wanted to share some insight about what my meditation practice actually looks like – and how I use it as a tool for healing.

Let’s dive in.

How I Practice Meditation

Let’s start with the how.

1. Get physically comfortable.

I personally need to lay down; otherwise, it’s too easy to get distracted by how my back might hurt or how I’m physically uncomfortable in another way. That’s why the first thing I do is make sure I’m as physically comfortable as possible.

If I feel the need, I’ll spend some time setting up my environment before I get started. I might put on some meditation music, light a candle or grab a cozy blanket.

The trick is to find the physical position and environment that truly allows you to focus on what’s inside.

2. Use the breath to scan your body.

Once I’ve found a comfortable state, I can feel a physical change. My body starts to settle, and my soul begins to crave the peace that’s coming. So I let myself settle into that state for a moment.

Next, once I feel ready, I tap into my breath and use it as a tool to guide me through a full body scan. From the top of my head all the way down into my feet, I begin intentionally directing my breath into each part of my body, one at a time. With each breath, I feel my body relaxing as it releases any weight or tension it’s holding.

3. Don’t forget to feel the magic.

As I go through this process, I can feel my body become heavier – and I can feel my spirit begin to rise up within me. At this point, I might even say aloud or in my head: I can feel my spirit rising. To me, this is the moment when I can feel my soul moving inside my body. I feel so calm in my body that everything else fades away, and I can finally feel that deep connection to my inner self and higher power, as it awakens and fills me up.

4. Ease back into reality.

After I’ve sat with myself for as long as I need to, it’s time to end the meditation with as much intention as I began. Once again, I use my breath to bring myself back into my body. This time, I use my breath to guide a body scan starting with the bottoms of my feet and working up to the top of my head.

When the moment is right, I slowly open my eyes and notice the shift inside me.

When I Practice Meditation

Meditation is only as powerful as our commitment to its consistent practice.

For me, meditation has been a lifeline, and so I practice it whenever I feel the need. I’ll meditate multiple times a day if I feel like that’s what my mind, body or spirit are craving. But more often, I like to meditate right before I go to sleep. I feel like it clears the slate and gives me really amazing dreams.

But mediation is something we can do at any point in time. You can choose to meditate in the middle of the day, or start each morning with a simple practice.

The bottom line is: It doesn’t really matter when you do it. What’s important is that you do it in a way that allows you to connect to your inner, intuitive self.

Why I Practice Meditation

Now that we’ve discussed how and when to meditate, let’s dive into the why. For me, the point of meditation is to take me out of cognitive thinking and help me, instead, connect to that spiritual side of me that’s deeply intuitive and all-knowing.

You see, our souls have intelligence. They can help us see outcomes and possibilities we may not be able to see when we’re stuck in our thinking minds. By connecting with this part of myself, I can hear the whisperings of that deep inner knowing, as well as the whisperings of God.

By connecting to that spiritual place – whatever it means to you – meditation represents a reprieve from the pain, confusion and heartbreak. It’s given me a break from the devastation and the fear I face in every moment. No matter what I’m facing, it’s a space where I know I can always go to feel the heaviness and the hardship melt away.

Still Need Help? Try These Meditation Prompts & Intentions

For most people, the hardest part of beginning and sticking to a meditation practice is quieting the mind. That’s hard for everyone, and it takes a lot of practice to get there. In the meantime, there are a few things you can try to make it easier.

Meditation Prompts

Come with a question. If something has been on my mind, this is what I do first. I might ask God a question, or I’ll ask a question of myself. Regardless of who or what you believe in, it’s pretty powerful to just ask.
Have a conversation. If you don’t have a specific question – but you have a lot on your mind and heart – then you can start a conversation. This conversation can be with your inner self, someone you trust or with a higher power. Instead of trying to quiet the mind, see if you can lighten the mind just by listening to what comes up.
Ask for support. I’ve come to meditation in the darkest hour and deepest need – and it always gives me what I need. It may not fix everything in one moment, but it does give me the next best step to take, or a new perspective that allows me to move forward. When I’m in that place of need, sometimes I use my meditation practice to ask for support. I choose an affirmation, and I hold onto it throughout my practice. Here are some of the affirmations I’ve used.