Meditating can be tough. We live incredibly busy lives, so often it’s hard to shut your brain off so you can relax and be present. Even when you clear your mind, it can be difficult to let go of the stress and feelings that have built up over the course of the day or week. Sometimes it’s nice to have a little extra help when meditating so you can relax a little further. Today I’m sharing some of my favorite things that help me make meditation more relaxing.
1. A meditation cushion. First and foremost is having something comfy to sit on as you’re meditating. Unless your hips are really open, sitting cross-legged can start to hurt after a bit. I’ve meditated sitting on a yoga block, which is better, but sitting on the hard block can get uncomfortable, which is why having a meditation cushion
2. A singing bowl. If I’m having trouble clearing my mind, I’ll often put on some relaxing music to help put me in the zone, but sometimes I need a little more to help me let go. I don’t know what it is about the sound of a singing bowl
3. Aromatherapy candle. I’ve found that scents can really help me improve my mood. I’ll sometimes use some essential oils during my yoga practice to help me relax, especially if I’m doing some gentle yoga before bed. So, I was excited when the folks at Aurorae contacted me and asked me if I’d like to try their Pledge aromatherapy candle.
Aurorae sells the best reviewed yoga mats, yoga apparel,and yoga and meditation accessories online. You can browse their yoga mats, yoga bags, yoga apparel and other yoga accessories here.
Since I’ve been a huge stressball lately, I had them send me their Harmony scented candle, which has a relaxing lavender scent. Using the candle definitely helped me feel calmer and more at peace. I loved that the scent of the candle wasn’t too overwhelming, but was still noticeable—the perfect amount of scent. I also love that the candle is made with soy wax, which means it’s clean-burning. And the tin the candle comes in is recyclable, an added bonus for environmentally conscious folks like myself. I’ll definitely be buying and trying more scents!
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Are you a fan of aromatherapy?
How do you relax?
I find meditation really difficult. Even in yoga, during savasana, I have trouble shutting my mind down. Great tips!
Savasana is consistently the hardest pose for me for that reason. It really does take a lot of practice to learn how to shut off your thoughts. A lot harder than the physical stuff!
This is something I really struggle with! Thanks for the tips!
Hope you find them helpful! đŸ™‚ Meditation is so tough until you really practice it a lot.
I’ve recently gotten into aromatherapy candles and find them especially relaxing and helpful when I’m trying to fall asleep at night. I relax best by doing a few yoga moves (downward dog in particular) before bed. I’m working on removing all electronics from the bedroom to also help me have a more peaceful sleep. Great tips!
Yes! I do aromatherapy oils before bed–I keep a bottle of lavender oil in my nightstand just in case I’m having trouble falling asleep. It really helps!
So many great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
You are quite welcome, Katie! đŸ™‚
I can’t let go of my thoughts enough to meditate yet!! Work in progress…but listening to – and focusing – on my breath has been helping.
It’s seriously really hard. I’ve found that counting backwards from a certain number with each breath helps me turn off my thoughts. I’m still thinking about the numbers, but it’s a step towards completely clearing my mind.