I have always suffered from being over-active both physically and mentally often doing far too much than is good for me. It is difficult to find something that relaxes me without being too physically demanding but I have always been intrigued from afar by the concept of meditation. It sounds perfect; losing yourself in yourself, blocking out those random destructive thoughts, instead focussing on deep, regular breathing.  Whilst being treated for severe depressive bouts however I was advised not to meditate. Apparently it can have adverse effects on your mental state and well-being if not done under supervision or in controlled conditions and can actually heighten feelings of despair. So, if you are thinking of taking up meditation as an escape from your depression you need to be very careful and either do plenty of research or look for experienced help before setting off down this route.

Recently I have found that there are several alternatives to the silent, traditional, mantra-driven and introspective meditation, which probably suit me better. I have therefore chosen short guided meditations set to background music to help me clear my mind of all that mental detritus accumulated daily.  These are designed to help you relax body and mind and discover inner peace whilst being guided by an experienced meditator.

It seems to be working so far and in a very short time I have come to look forward to my twenty minutes of “me” time, sitting cross-legged in the middle of my bed, nursing my nugget of rose quartz listening to tropical rain storms, waterfalls, whales and dolphins, imagining that I am stranded on a desert island.The only downside is waking up to reality. Now that can be depressing!

All this is very new to me and I have a lot to learn but the early signs are that meditation will help me to relax and enable me to cope better with my emotions which can be volatile at best. I look forward to regaining some control and objectivity instead of being ruled by my all-too-often gung-ho- heart-rules-head approach. I will keep you updated as to my progress and my experiences which may help you decide whether meditation is for you. In the meantime, here are a few resources which have set me on my way.

Meditainment-Guided meditations

Meditations for relaxation

Rose Quartz;