How to Meditate and Great Meditation Blankets
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Meditation and mindfulness in 2021
Meditation is a big trend in 2021. Coming out of a pandemic everyone needs a good meditation blanket or two. They’re warm, they’re cozy, they’re functional, and they also can be beautiful!
Meditation and Meditation blankets
First, let me explain what a meditation blanket is. A meditation blanket is an oversized blanket that can be folded to comfort and accommodate you during seated meditation positions.
Meditation Blankets come in all shapes and sizes
Meditation blankets come in different shapes, sizes, materials, prints, and colors and they’re more convenient for traveling (much easier to pack a blanket vs. a pillow or bolster).
Thick wool meditation blankets are best
Thicker blankets are great if you like to sit higher and have more support and keep you warm.
They can be folded and placed under your knees (great for kneeling) or folded and rolled into a more compact and thicker cushion style for lotus meditation.
The best thicker blankets for meditation tend to be wool-style blankets, like our Thula Tula Basotho Heritage blanket.
Compact travel style meditation blankets are great too
If you prefer something a bit more compact, you should try our Protea Pinstripe throw, which also doubles as a great beach blanket (meditating at the beach sounds nice to me!).
You might be asking yourself “do I really need a specific blanket for meditating?” The answer is yes - if you do it more than 3 times a week.
When I initially started meditating I balked at the idea of buying a meditation-specific blanket and made do with my yoga mat and some small throw blankets or towels I already owned. However, over time I realized that I was using multiple towels to get comfortable and the yoga mat wasn't versatile enough for me to use as a support.
I needed something that I could fold and that could easily change shape.
Adding a meditation blanket can make a huge difference in the quality of your meditations because you won’t be worrying about the discomfort in your limbs, you’ll be focusing solely on your meditations.
The Thula Tula Quick Guide to Meditation
Meditation is great for the soul and a great way to start your day in a more focused and alert state of mind. The great thing about meditation and mindfulness is that it can be done anywhere so you don't need a gym or studio to get more centered.
Here are our 6 Favorite reasons we Mediate daily
Everybody does, and should meditate for their reasons here are our reasons for getting a few mindful and focused moments to ourselves every day
- Start Focused: To start our day off the right way focused and more alert. When we meditate we get more focused work done.
- Control: To control the stress especially during work weeks.
- Health: to understand our bodies more. Every day your body tells you important information on your health. take this time to listen.
- Patience: To have more patience, Anybody with little ones running around knows how difficult keeping patience with them. Mediation has helped significantly to reduce the conflict that occurs from impatience.
- To reduce the mind from wandering off into its own realm. Everyone knows that mind voice that heightens stress and caused anxiety from too much thought on irrelevant subjects. Meditation and mindfulness can reduce and if you're really good eradicate that chatter all together
- To remain present and connect better with ourselves, and others. when we can connect with our loved ones and community in a more meaningful manner then we become more fulfilled
How to Meditate
As we mentioned above meditation does not need specific locations or instructors it something you can easily do just about anywhere. It becomes a little more difficult when you realize clearing your mind is harder than it looks.
Modernity has taught us to always be on the go. Moving from one meeting to the next. It has trained your mind to be a constant chatter of thoughts. Meditation is simply the process of clearing those thoughts and starting from zero with a fresh and clear mind. Easy right well when you have had decades of the exact opposite this can be a little tricky. Fortunately, some smart people thought to break down the process, or at least what you physically have to do to get ready.
- Step 1: Is to find a quiet, comfortable space. Try to make sure the kiddies know you are out of action for the next 15 minutes (lol as if that's possible)
- Step 2: Set a time. Yes, we know it seems a little counterproductive to talk of time and mindfulness in the same breath. Taking a leaf out of Eckhart Tolle “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” but for the moment we know we have to make the kids lunch so set a time.
- Step 3: Take a seat and get comfy and start to feel calm. Wash the thoughts from your mind
- Step 4: Notice your body. Start from the tips of your toes and work your way up to the top of your head. "You can know it only when the mind is still. When you are present when your attention is fully and intensely in the Now, Being can be felt, but it can never be understood mentally. To regain awareness of Being and to abide in that state of “feeling-realization” is enlightenment". Eckhart Tolle
- Step 5: Notice your breath feel the chest rise and fall inhale through your nose and release through the mouth become acutely aware of the motion and breath.
- Step 6: Watch your mind listen to the voice without judgment, do not fear it watch it as if you were an onlooker to your own thoughts.
- Step 7: As you finish take in the moment notice sounds and feeling of the environment be aware of the way your body feels right now. Notice all your thoughts and emotions that's it you are done
We Hope you liked our thoughts on mindfulness and meditation. We'll leave you with one of collective favorite quotes from Eckard tolle on mindfulness and something we try to do on a daily basis.
" Wherever you are, be there totally. If you find your her and now to be intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally." - Eckhart Tolle
To shop Our selection of meditation blankets check out the Wool Basotho heritage blanket for a thick and cozy option or the beautiful african art inspired blankets