Meditate to Live Longer

The Power of Freedom in Healthy Aging

How do we make
 ample Time and 
Space for our
 Daily Meditation 
Practice?

It’s an
 important
question to ask 
because meditation requires a great deal of
 focus, awareness, and discipline. So many 
of us think we don’t have time for regular 
practice. We don’t know where in our busy 
schedules meditation fits in.
 Regardless of any obstacles, if we want
 to increase our physical, mental, emotional, 
and spiritual health as we age, meditation 
is the keystone habit we ought to adopt.


Making Meditation a Daily Habit

Let’s take a look at simple ways we can make
 time and space so that our meditation 
practice becomes just as habitual as 
brushing our teeth.
 Most of us lead busy lives. Jobs and
 families require enormous amounts of our 
time and energy. Then there’s the
 household chores and shopping, not to
 mention social commitments and all those
 hours dedicated to sleep.

Where does 
Meditation fit in?

One of the secrets to
 growing older is to maintain a steady
 routine of daily rituals that feed and
 nourish your soul. Take a moment to
 consciously consider at what time and for
 how long meditation will be steady and 
pleasurable for you. If ten minutes every day when you wake up is doable, then
 that’s your meditation time. Consciously
 carve out the time of day that you know 
will work for you.


Create your Meditation Space

Here’s another ritual that will keep you
 meditating well into your golden years. It 
has to do with having your physical
 mediation space set up in advance. If you
 have only ten minutes to meditate, you 
don’t want to have to take time to set up a
 meditation shop, so to speak. Carve out
 space where you already have your cushion 
or special chair, and perhaps some matches
 and a candle. You want to be able to sit
 down, light your candle, and get started. If
 sitting cross-legged is uncomfortable, feel
 free to lie down or place yoga bolsters 
beneath your knees for support. There’s no 
need to make a big production out of it, but
 you do want to have the space prepped in
 advance so that all you have to do is go, sit,
 and meditate, with no time wasted. Setting
 up a dedicated space in advance will help
 you shift into meditation mode easily.


The Key to Happiness

One of the key secrets of growing older 
is to do pleasurable activities that are
 healthy for your body and mind, with 
meditation being one of them. Can you
 creatively take the time to make your
 meditation pleasurable? Perhaps choose a 
cushion you love. Create a space you love.
 Buy a lovely candle or two, a vase of fresh 
flowers, or fragrant essential oil. Take a shopping spree solely for your meditation
 practice. These elements will help create a 
space that feels uniquely pleasurable for 
you.

Mindful together - Sometimes, meditating in a group can boost motivation and keep you accountable. Sharing the practice creates connection, support, and consistency.

Meditating with others

Your spiritual practice will naturally
 deepen as you grow older, and one of the 
secrets to supporting this practice is to
 make it enjoyable!
 Whether it’s going to a group
 meditation practice or setting one up in
 your own home, sharing the practice with
 others at the same time each week will help
 you continue your regular practice.
 Sometimes group involvement is necessary
 for us to be accountable.


How Long should you Meditate?

If five minutes is as long as is
 comfortable for your body and mind, then 
that’s the time you need. If it’s for twenty 
minutes in the morning as you lie in bed
 after waking, then that’s fine too. There
 aren’t any rules when it comes to
 meditation. For as long as you’re going to 
enjoy your practice is the right amount of
 time. It’s all up to you.

The Power of Freedom in Healthy Aging

This sense of
 freedom is another secret of healthy aging.
 Do your practice on your terms, not
 anyone else’s. In this way, it becomes
 uniquely yours, and this element of
 freedom will inevitably spill over into other
 areas of your life. This is the time to be free 
and joyful. Have fun with your meditation 
practice and make it one of the most 
important aspects of your healthy aging 
ritual.