Are you curious about the benefits of meditation? 

After tragically losing his wife Yasmin in a car accident, our FitazFK cofounder Aaron Mcallister knew he needed to take care of his mind and body in order to deal with his worst nightmare.

However, Aaron would like to stress that meditation isn’t just for people who have gone through traumatic experiences, it’s for anyone who wants to improve their overall mental health as the benefits of meditating are endless.

If you were unaware, meditation helps to increase happiness, decrease anxiety, aid in achieving a positive mindset, and assist in weight loss by decreasing your cortisol levels. How incredible, right? 

We think everyone should try it, and thats why we have provided some awesome tips to get you in the ‘Zen’ zone: 

1. Meditate at the same time & same place every day (or as regularly as you can).

This is great in helping you develop a habit. When it comes to mediation it is all about consistency! If you are trying to mediate at lunch one day, and then right before bed another, your body is going to be in two totally different mindsets - and you’ll probably find it difficult to centre. Aaron personally prefers to meditate first thing in the morning and the last thing before he goes to bed. It might be best to start with one of these options. 

2. Make sure you meditate in a quiet place

This one is pretty self-explanatory. A quiet place away from distractions and interruptions lets you be better in tune with yourself.

DON’T lie down! If you relax too much, you are probably going to fall asleep. Of course, if you are meditating late at night and can’t sleep because of your mind racing, this isn’t the worse thing… but if you are looking at creating a real change in yourself, you need to be awake for it.

Alternatively, if you spend your whole meditation session thinking about how your foot is going numb, and that there is an uncomfortable floorboard splinter in your leg you’re not going to achieve anything either. Aaron sits on a bolster with his legs crossed in a comfortable position. You could also meditate sitting on a lounge. Just make sure you can sit there for an extended period of time.

Smell is an incredibly STRONG human sense. It’s amazing what a certain scent can do to your relaxation and focus. Every time Aaron meditates, he burns Sandalwood or something similar, but other great scents for mediation include cedar-wood, chamomile, and lavender.

Essential oil type products are pretty affordable and accessible these days. You can even get some just from Woolies or Coles. Do yourself a favour and invest! 

Before you go to bed tonight, give it a try for yourself!

For more insight on Aaron’s journey of healing through meditation, click here to read his article with My City Life!