What is World Meditation Day?
Each year on the 21st of May, we celebrate World Meditation Day. It is an annual tradition observed since meditation first became a spoken and written practice in 1500 BC India.
World Meditation Day is a day to remind ourselves why the practice of meditation has become an integral part of many religions and lifestyles.
Meditation is a powerful tool that is heavily utilized in Eastern religions such as Buddhism to attain a state of nirvana, a transcendent state of mind where there is no sense of self, suffering, or desire.
Today, even those without spiritual or religious affiliations practice meditation to ease stress and clear their mind.
What Happens on World Meditation Day?
On May 21st, the world collectively participates in meditation to honor the millennia-old practice of obtaining mental clarity.
This day reminds us why humans have meditated for thousands of years. Furthermore, it is a day of spreading awareness about meditation to people that are yet to experience its benefits.
It is a day without the conventional frills and thrills of holidays. The main agenda of World Meditation Day is simply to meditate.
How Can You Celebrate World Meditation Day?
Create time to meditate
The best way to celebrate World Meditation Day is to carve time in your schedule to meditate.
Find a place where you feel calm and relaxed. Some people choose their bedrooms, some choose getting out in nature, others like the gym, some like their living room, and others feel most at ease in the bath.
Those a little more seasoned may even build a little meditation area in their home that is calm and soothing and always available for a moment of calm.
If you’ve never meditated before, it can be difficult to clear your mind of wandering thoughts. Consider guided meditation or practicing with a seasoned instructor.
To help you and make it as easy as possible for you to meditate today (maybe right now) I will offer a guided meditation here called Four Infinite Thoughts which is a guided Compassion Meditation. I think this is a really powerful guided meditation. Enjoy!
Free Meditation: Compassion - Four Infinite Thoughts
Compassion Meditation: Four Infinite Thoughts
If you like this meditation this is the style meditations I offer on different programs or on the Hellagood Life YouTube Channel. Subscribe if you like the other meditations.
Sign up for a meditation class
I only run this challenge a few times a year. If it is closed, get on the waitlist to be notified when the challenge is open again.
Like most activities, meditation is better (and easier) when practiced in a group. This may seem odd as meditation is often thought of as a solo practice, but doing things right and feeling comfortable are the key.
Often if the solo practice feels odd, the practicer will just quit and assume they are no good at meditation or meditation isn’t right for them.
This is typically not the case but rather a lack of understanding and lack of confidence.
Signing up for a meditation class with a seasoned instructor is the best advice for anyone that wants to learn quickly and avoid beginner mistakes that discourage you from continuing.
One of the big things I offer here at Hellagood Life is meditation and mindfulness training to help people get started or improve their meditation practice.
Teach someone to meditate
Passing on the tradition is the best way to honor World Meditation Day. Celebrate the day by teaching someone how to meditate.
Beginners learn meditation much faster when they get the right guidance. You can teach a friend, family member, or work acquaintance the basics of meditation, including the most difficult part: clearing your thoughts.
In this video you will notice that I taught my son and although he’s young in this video he is helping to teach other people about meditation and a specific meditation in this case the Pebble Meditation. If my 8-year old can teach others, that by all means you can too.
Pass this great skill on to others as this would be a great way to celebrate World Meditation Day.
Learn a new meditation technique
Finally, you can teach yourself a new way to meditate to celebrate the 21st of May.
There are different types of meditation:
- Mantra meditation involves repeating a word or phrase to acknowledge objects of your experience.
- Movement meditation focuses on the movements of your body through practices like martial arts, yoga, or even walking in nature. I do mindful movements weekly and it is awesome. I am also a big fan of walking meditation, especially in nature.
- Visualization meditation involves creating images in your mind to help you focus, such as streaming water, swaying leaves, or even visions of achieving your goals in life.
- Mindfulness meditation encourages you to create awareness of yourself and your surroundings, a practice that teaches you to focus and stay engaged at the moment.
Want to try adding mindfulness and meditation to your self-care routine? Click below to get details about the Introduction to Mindfulness & Meditation mini-course.