Tag: chicago

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11.04.21 | Community

Practicing Empathy: How it Can Create a More Vibrant World

Empathy is a universal tool for understanding. By definition, it’s a way of emotionally recognizing and validating what someone else is feeling. At Sage Collective, we approach all of our work with empathy, and believe that with practice, exhibiting empathy improves communication, heightens creativity and enhances appreciation.

What the Science Says

Empathy has always been an essential skill for communication and understanding. However, it’s more important now than ever, in light of the enormous levels of stress many confront today. Displaying empathy serves as an antidote for burnout and anxiety — producing beneficial effects on wellbeing and supporting positive social interactions for individuals and groups alike.

According to a recent study published by the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, empathy in older adults may play a sizable role in shaping the regularity and types of support they exchange within social networks and the ramifications associated with the exchanges. The study concludes that empathetic older adults grant emotional and instrumental support more often than older adults who display less empathy. Furthermore, those who are more empathetic enjoy greater levels of emotional comfort from their networks and uphold more positive moods throughout the day, producing significant exchanges of care and more powerful controls over temperament. 

Practicing Empathy

Because empathy is a crucial element for collective support, everyone can benefit from improving their skills, whether practicing empathy comes naturally or must be learned. However, with time, an empathetic approach to all situations becomes instinctive. Here are three kinds of empathy that a person may encounter and should strive to understand:

Cognitive empathy consists of putting yourself in someone else’s situation to try and
comprehend what they might be going through at that moment. Even if it involves
something unfamiliar, the effort of understanding can transform anyone’s perspective. 

Somatic empathy requires the ability to experience someone else’s feelings. It usually
includes physical reactions to situations like feeling sick, sweating or blushing.

Active listening is a large part of being empathetic, but taking action and giving appropriate feedback takes the skill a step further. Affective empathy entails understanding the emotion someone else is feeling and answering accordingly. The awareness establishes personal connections and leads to a more profound concern for others’ feelings. 

As more and more people recognize the power of using empathetic techniques, a mutual understanding and compassion will blossom, empowering our communities to become more vibrant and rich in emotional support.

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11.02.21 | Community

Why You Should Start Journaling if You Aren’t Already

As part of our 9 Ways of Vibrant Living at Sage Collective, we are proponents of any activity that reduces stress and increases overall wellbeing. Burnout and stress are familiar to many of us, and it’s imperative to find someone or something to help manage, control and minimize these feelings. Journaling is one delightful distraction that diminishes those anxieties and comes with a handful of other benefits, particularly for older adults.

 Along with functioning as a means to escape the world around you, journaling is an enjoyable way to pass the time and alleviate any stressors that come with life. It’s difficult to separate the positive and negative experiences that happen to us daily. Conveying thoughts by putting pen to paper is one way to help release emotions while granting your mind and body relaxation from the tension you may have been feeling.

Many people who journal will often follow guides and roadmaps that help steer their process, but the brilliant thing about journaling is that the quality and subject of your writing are less important than the actual act. Having the opportunity to write about anything from daily stressors and positive affirmations to poetry increases creativity, along with numerous other cognitive benefits.

For many older adults, cultivating a routine can combat negative sleeping habits and feelings of isolation. Like any new habit, we recommend journaling at the same time each day to help create a routine, whether you start your day with a few morning pages or reflect before going to bed.

Along with improving sleep and reducing loneliness, jotting down experiences, emotions and everything in between helps older adults preserve their memories and sharpen their minds. Journaling acts as a memory aid and, with time, can generate more effective recollections for older adults.

Whether you prefer to write in a notebook or favor typing on your phone, journaling is a fantastic way to reduce the stressors of your daily life and sharpen your memory and mind. If you want to learn more about how to begin journaling or need a boost of creativity to start the process, check out the video below.

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10.28.21 | Arts & Culture

Witness History at Pullman National Monument

At Sage Collective, we love spotlighting extraordinary moments throughout African American history and the local monuments that preserve those stories. Today we’re exploring Chicago’s first and only national monument, positioned only 30 minutes south of Bronzeville, where our 4108 and 4112 S. King Drive properties are located: Pullman National Monument. 

Pullman Clock Tower and Administration building
Pullman Clock Tower and Administration Building

Pullman Historic District

Nestled in another one of Chicago’s largest African American communities, Pullman National Monument, also known as Pullman Historic District, exhibits one of the country’s most historical sites. Developed by Goerge Pullman in the 1880s, Pullman Historic District originated as the nation’s first planned industrial community for his namesake business, Pullman Palace Car Company. The community, which had established regulations and living standards for all of their employees, contained workers’ living quarters, the Pullman factory, a grand clock tower and the once elegant Hotel Florence, among other buildings. 

The Pullman Company experienced the first of many disputes in 1894 with the Pullman Strike. After negotiations over decreased wages were discussed and shut down, Pullman’s workers organized a walk out of the train car factory. The boycott impacted railroad traffic across the whole nation. However, even with support from the American Railway Union, both the boycott and the union collapsed after local and federal governments intervened.   

A second conflict over inferior wages and lengthy hours arose in 1925. However, this time, all of those involved were Pullman’s African American workers, who, organized and created the nation’s first all-Black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Founder A. Philip Randolph and union members fought for more than ten years until finally, in 1937, the first major agreement between a company and an African American union was met. The agreement granted union members increased wages along with a cap of 240 hours per month. 

Pullman National Monument Mural, Created by students of the American Academy of Art in 1996
Pullman National Monument Mural, Created by students of the American Academy of Art in 1996

Visiting Pullman National Monument 

Today, after nearly 140 years of existence, Pullman National Monument is now open to the public. With help from the National Park Foundation, donors and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, the historic site underwent extensive renovation and restoration over the past few decades. 

The late-Victorian designed Pullman Clock Tower and Administration building act as the centerpiece for 12-acre monument grounds. Inside, guests are greeted in the newly designed visitor center, where information on the monuments’ numerous exhibits and tours is found. 

Visitors have the opportunity to gain knowledge about everything from Pullman’s vision for creating the company town to the Pullman Strike and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters establishment. Along with delving into the campus’ rich history, guests have a chance to learn more about how the latter Pullman community came together to preserve the significant site. 

The park is free to the public and open 9 to 5 on most days for those interested in exploring the momentous company town and reducing COVID-19 stress. You can find more information here!

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10.26.21 | Arts & Culture

Revolutionizing Bronzeville and the Construction World: A Conversation with Shevaz Freeman

As renovations continue at our 4108 and 4112 S King Drive properties located in the heart of Bronzeville, we sat down with the owner of Urban Intention Design and Build and general contractor for our project, Shevaz Freeman, to discuss her experiences in the world of construction and the progress of the projects. 

Urban Intention Design and Build is a Black woman-owned-and-operated company, which is rare in the general contractor domain. Tell us about your experience in the industry, and what has led you to where you are today. 

Running my own contracting company, Urban Intention Design and Build, as an African American woman absolutely comes with its struggles, but every experience I’ve had — good and bad — has led me to where I am today. Simple things like respect and recognition can be difficult to attain at times, and because of my gender, I have to maneuver within the environment with a whole different perspective. However, because of my significant experience in the field, I’ve discovered how best to navigate challenges I may encounter to my advantage. 

I’ve picked up numerous techniques and approaches that give me a leg up because I feel like I’ve had to work harder than a lot of other people in my field to get where I am. I’ve trained myself to have heightened attention to detail. Sometimes, contractors don’t have the “big picture” in mind and don’t fully pay attention to the endless little things happening on a project. Because I’ve been doing this for over ten years, I find it extremely easy to fully envision the outcome of every project from day one, which is a significant skill in contracting.

What does your role as General Contractor for Sage Collective Properties’ King Drive project involve? 

As the General Contractor for the King Drive projects, it’s my job to oversee and run almost everything. I am responsible for managing budgets, directing on-site subcontractors and conducting meetings with the Sage Collective Properties’ team. However, at the end of the day, my most important job is to make sure that the client gets what they envisioned at the beginning of the process. 

Who are the others who are involved in the renovation of these King Drive buildings, and how does your role fit in? How do you view the nature and value of the relationships you have been able to build with other professionals on this job?

Throughout the renovation, numerous people will walk in and out of the properties. Two people I’ve worked very closely with over the past few months are the Owner’s Rep and experienced General Contractor, Ernest Brown, and the Architect, Gregory Williams. Mr. Brown has provided me with incredible guidance and oversight throughout the project, and his rich expertise in the field has been remarkably beneficial and essential to our process. 

Overall, I’ve unquestionably developed relationships on this job that I believe will continue to provide immense value in the future. It’s so important in jobs like this that each party involved feels like they are valued as part of a larger team, and that is a feeling that is certainly present here. No matter who I am talking to daily, everyone understands that their role is essential for the project’s success.

Explain to us how you see Sage Collective’s vision of having “vibrant, high-quality, affordable living for older adults” come to life in the residences you are currently helping them rehab?

I originally went to school for interior design, so because of that training and the fact that I’m such a visual person, I’ve been able to envision Sage Collective’s concept since the project’s very early stages. As soon as I was introduced to the vision for “vibrant, high-quality, affordable living” and walked through the properties, there was no question that it was achievable, and day by day, I’m witness to its progress. 

Since we strive to make sure that every element is constructed with thought and care, the process behind bringing the vision to life is very meticulous. We discuss everything from the sizing of doors to the proportion of the showers to the type of lighting assembled in each room to make sure we specifically address the needs of older adults. All details throughout the process are constantly brought into question to ensure perfection. 

Do you think that there is enough emphasis by the government or social service organizations on meeting the need for affordable housing in this community? If so, please give other examples. If not, why not?

The need for affordable housing, especially in neighborhoods like Bronzeville, has been ignored by the government for the longest time. However, I think more and more organizations are finally stepping up, and we are moving in the right direction. One of the initiatives putting money into communities like Bronzeville that have essentially been ignored by the city for years is Mayor Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West.

The wonderful thing is that the initiative has encouraged even more developers to invest in affordable housing construction like the upcoming 43 Green projects. Having been born and raised on the south side, seeing the amount of interest currently being poured into the communities holds a special place in my heart. But with that said, the progress is long overdue, and there is still a long way to go until affordable housing needs are met. 

How does your perspective as a contractor inform your view of the future of the availability of affordable housing in Chicago?

In 2021 material costs for almost all aspects of home building and renovation skyrocketed, and they continue to go up. The shift over the past year also means that low-income families aren’t making the extra money they need to afford market-rate housing, making affordable housing even more in demand than ever before. Generally, historic properties like Sage Collective Properties’ buildings in the Bronzeville community are selling for very high prices. Some have been renovated, but others have either been abandoned for years or have not been preserved due to the high expenses that come with the process. 

With time, everything deteriorates. So, without any help, it’s hard to keep these properties affordable for residents. The sad reality is that without continued help from the city, state or federal government — and investments from organizations like Sage Collective Properties  —  it’s going to be hard to keep developing affordable housing in these neighborhoods. 

Have there been unexpected or unique issues that you’ve been challenged with on this project?

The King Drive properties are mature buildings in a very historic area that have been neglected for a long time, so of course, there have been surprises that we’ve come across throughout the renovation. We’re discovering issues now that I’m sure didn’t even cross the mind of the previous owners because development is so different now than it was back when these buildings were built. One specific uncovering was the deterioration in some of the exterior bricks. We found small trees, weeds and other plants vibrantly growing in the actual spaces between the bricks, so we’ve had to uproot all of those. 

The one thing I will say is that it is a solid building and has very healthy bones. So, we can still put it back together with ease. Overall, I’m just so happy to see the phenomenal progress we’ve made so far and can’t wait to see the finished product. I’m also very appreciative that Sage has allowed me the opportunity to work on this project and be able to help them create something so wonderful, especially since I’m in my own community doing it!

Shevaz Freeman, General Contractor for Sage Collective Properties’ King Drive Projects & Owner of Urban Intention Design and Build
Shevaz Freeman, General Contractor for Sage Collective Properties’ King Drive Projects & Owner of Urban Intention Design and Build
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10.21.21 | Arts & Culture

A Brief History of Bronzeville’s Music Scene

Bronzeville has been home to several legendary performers and iconic venues throughout the neighborhood’s history. In celebration of Bronzeville’s rich past and to mark progress on our King Drive properties, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the unique venues and legendary artists that once filled Bronzeville’s music scene. 

Regal Theatre, 1941, Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Significant Venues

As the century turned and more and more African Americans moved to Bronzeville from the rural South looking for brighter opportunities, several clubs and theatres emerged to meet entertainment needs. Several venues became community favorites and local treasures, including Grand Theater, Dreamland Café, The 708 Club, Pepper’s Lounge and the Vendome Theater. However, a number of these sites became well-known far beyond the boundaries of Bronzeville.

Widely recognized as one of the most important jazz clubs in the country during its prime, Sunset Cafe, also known as The Grand Terrace Cafe, was the city’s premier theatre from the 1920s to the 1940s. The club’s manager, Joe Glazer, invited several of the nation’s top jazz performers to entertain guests, including his client, Louis Armstrong. While the building experienced some remodels and reopenings, it became officially recognized as a landmark in 1998. Today, the venue, located at 315 East 35th Street, functions as an Ace Hardware. However, some of the original murals that filled the historic walls of the Sunset Cafe remain. 

At the time, Savoy Ballroom and the neighboring Regal Theater, located only a few blocks South of our King Drive properties, were credited as some of the first major stakes in establishing a new center of gravity for the African American community in Chicago. Savoy’s half-acre ballroom and the Regal Theater’s opulent auditorium offered hard-to-find performance space. Top jazz, blues and soul performers across the country, including Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, left their mark on the famed clubs. The buildings were demolished in 1973 and are now home to the Harold Washington Cultural Center.

A band playing at the Savoy Ballroom, 1941, Courtesy of the Library of Congress

While the music scene thrived in Bronzeville for decades, the Great Depression brought unforeseen hardships to the community. Attendance in the top-tier theatres slipped for a time, but the 1940s brought back a resurgence in entertainment, with bebop music flourishing and nearly every big name in jazz returning. 

Uplifting Careers 

Throughout Bronzeville’s storied music history, multiple jazz, blues and soul legends visited the crowded theatres and clubs that filled the neighborhood. Music icons and various big band groups traveled the country to play the community’s numerous renowned venues. While many continued touring, countless others stayed in Bronzeville to expand their career and relish in the neighborhood’s rich culture.

As the jazz epicenter moved to Chicago from New Orleans in the late 1910s, so followed Joe Oliver — also known as King Oliver. Along with composing numerous celebrated works of music, Oliver played both individually on the cornet and in big bands along Chicago’s East 35th Street. He was also a pioneer in the field and mentored numerous young jazz artists throughout the city, including Louis Armstrong. After playing in Oliver’s band — the most influential jazz band in Chicago at the time — and earning a grand reputation competing in music contests throughout the neighborhood, Armstrong became recognized as perhaps the single most important jazz act during the genre’s heyday.

King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band, 1923, Courtesy of the Library of Congress

Bronzeville native Nat “King” Cole was a legendary music personality and eventually became one of the neighborhood’s most well-known residents. Surrounded by a community rich with jazz and soul history, it didn’t take long for Cole to discover his passion for music. While living at 4023 South Vincennes Avenue, Cole took advantage of Bronzeville’s iconic venues and played at both the Savoy Ballroom and the Regal Theater before furthering his career around the United States. 

Through Sage Collective’s vision, we are proud to contribute to the legacy of African American culture, community and success that is, and always has been, the heart and soul of Bronzeville.

Regal Theatre, 1941, Courtesy of the Library of Congress
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10.19.21 | Arts & Culture

How Museums Might Reduce Your COVID-19 Stress

One of the largest challenges in modern-day life is finding a treatment for the frequent burnout that most of us feel daily. At Sage Collective, one of our most cherished beliefs is that wellness, health and empowerment should be made priorities in every community. That’s why today, we’re exploring how museums might be the perfect answer to your post-pandemic stress and burnout. 

Many individuals, especially older adults, have faced higher stress levels over the past year and a half than ever before. Feelings of uncertainty and unpredictability due to COVID-19 have also led to many feeling alone, anxious and burnt out, with little reprieve. However, there is growing research that offers tangible steps toward alleviating these negative feelings. 

Often in the present day, many feel like time is limited, and burnout is constant. However, solace can be found in the relaxing and revitalizing spaces of a museum. For many, the knowledge that curated spaces of art and history can provide a wealth of benefits for mental and physical health is new.

Recently, doctors in Belgium received permission to prescribe museum visits to combat the mental health crisis in their country, and similar actions have been implemented in Canada. Patients who get the prescriptions can go anywhere from an intimate art gallery to a fashion exhibition at a history museum. 

The goal behind the three-month-long trial is to promote an engaging learning experience and shift people away from the stress of their daily routines in hopes of having a positive impact on mental and physical health. The museums and exhibitions act as safe and welcoming places for patients to unwind from their day-to-day responsibilities and explore new ideas and areas of interest. Not only does the time off allow patients to catch their breath and spend time with loved ones, but it also acts as a moment of respite from the harsh realities of the pandemic. 

Instead of relying on drug therapies, this mode of enrichment has the possibility to be expanded to other areas of mental health beyond pandemic-related stress and anxiety to alleviating symptoms of depression, psychiatric disorders, anxiety and more. 

Numerous museums, galleries and art centers around Bronzeville present the perfect opportunity for anyone looking to combat stress and relax — in person or virtually. The South Side Community Arts Center, Gallery Guichard, Smart Museum of Art, DuSable Museum of African American History, and Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry are all wonderful choices to spend an afternoon enhancing your wellbeing and expanding your mind. 

Furniture and a crowd of people fill a bright museum interior.
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09.23.21 | Arts & Culture

Bronzeville’s Renaissance

Bronzeville’s dynamic history is ever-shifting as time progresses. Originating in the early 20th century, the neighborhood became an epicenter for Black culture, a topic you can read more about here. Today, Bronzeville is experiencing a renaissance, and Sage Collective is proud to be a part of it. The community is growing in numbers that haven’t been seen for decades and it’s welcoming businesses that add a breath of fresh air to the neighborhood’s enduring culture.

Data provided by the 2020 Census show that while the larger city of Chicago continues to grow at slow rates, neighborhoods in and around Bronzeville are embracing populations at much faster rates. Between 2010 and 2020, Bronzeville and its surrounding communities increased their populations by nearly 15%. And while Black populations in Chicago decreased by nearly 10% over the decade, there is a resurgence of Black middle class communities contributing to the population boom in neighborhoods like Bronzeville. 

It’s not hard to understand why both individuals and families are choosing to make Bronzeville their next home. The epicenter of culture and arts not only continues to celebrate its historic roots through revitalization projects like the transformation of the old Marshall Fields Building, but it also welcomes new businesses, developments and organizations with open arms. Sage Collective, as an organization with deep roots in Bronzeville, is excited about this trend, even as upscale, luxury housing moves steadily into the neighborhood, our goal remains the same — providing vibrant, high-quality living through affordable housing for older adults.

Unprecedented developments like Hatch 41, a new coworking space, and future projects like Bronzeville Lakefront act as catalysts for the neighborhood’s expansion. And with each new development, the intersecting goals of exploration, enrichment and celebration are present. 

As we shepherd new families, entrepreneurs, artists and changemakers back to Bronzeville, our values remain clear; we are a neighborhood where relationships are nurtured, community thrives and culture prevails. The renaissance of Bronzeville is upon us, and Sage Collective is proud to be a leader in it, inspiring neighbors and residents alike to participate in our movement.

A sign reads, "Welcome to Bronzeville"
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09.09.21 | Arts & Culture

5 Books You Have to Pick Up This Fall

Autumn is a perfect time to revisit books you may have forgotten about while enjoying the warm summer months — or to pick up a few new books that may be on your radar. Reading is an excellent opportunity to escape the world around us, discover a new interest, de-stress and find enjoyment in others’ stories. Whether you’re a fan of poetry, memoirs, mysteries or romance, we have some picks that you might enjoy.

Poet Warrior by Joy Harjo

Poet Warrior, Joy Harjo 

As the first Native American to hold the U.S. Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo returns to her roots with Poet Warrior, sharing her relationship with poetry and music. Her new memoir is a mix between eloquently written poetry and intimately written prose. Harjo explores the music and stories that she grew up hearing and reflects on the connections poetry, her ancestry and her community share with each other. For lovers of poetry, introspection and culture, this book is a great read for you.

Unbound by Tarana Burke

Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement, Tarana Burke

Burke dissects her childhood, from growing up as a Black girl in the Bronx to becoming one of the most influential people in America as the founder of the Me Too movement. The personal memoir exposes parts of the trauma Burke experienced after being sexually assaulted. However, her story is largely positive as she shares how she used this experience to create positive change. Anyone looking for motivation and inspiration will find it in this book.

Smile: The Story of A Face by Sarah Ruhl

Smile: The Story of a Face, Sarah Ruhl

After giving birth to her twins, author, and playwright Sarah Ruhl realized that she couldn’t move half of her face. Ruhl later discovered she had developed Bell’s palsy. Smile is Ruhl’s intimate story of learning to live with a disability later in life. Ruhl’s emotional essays offer insights into what it feels like to learn to maneuver through the difficulties of life. Smile is a fabulous read for anyone wanting to learn more about the deeply personal relationships humans have with their bodies.

The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

The Sentence, Louise Erdrich

The Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning author’s new darkly humorous story takes place in Minneapolis in 2020. The Sentence follows a previously-incarcerated Indigenous woman working at a bookstore haunted by one of their most annoying customers. The worker tries to solve the haunting mystery while exploring the difficulties of racism and corruption that infests the city. The Sentence is a fantastic choice for those looking to smile at a story reflecting on the year of racial injustice in a dark, comical style. 

Five Tuesdays In Winter by Lily King

Five Tuesdays in Winter: Stories, Lily King

Five Tuesdays in Winter examines the good and bad of human connection. Lily writes about meaningful relationships that can form from the most minute of bonds. The book of stories — formulated with previously published and new work — finds characters grappling with change, all yearning to be loved. Five Tuesdays in Winter is a terrific choice for those interested in learning more about the power and importance of human connection. 

Whether you prefer reading alone, with a companion or in a book club, don’t hesitate to pick one or two of these books up for yourself this fall. You can find them at your neighborhood libraries, local bookstore or online. And as with all good reads, spread the word to friends and family when you finish a book you really love!

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09.07.21 | Arts & Culture

The Cognitive Benefits of Scrapbooking

What might seem like an old-fashioned and outdated mode of documenting the past, scrapbooking is a pastime that can celebrate and relive memories while getting one’s creative juices flowing — especially for older adults. It is also a great way to curate family heirlooms for all to appreciate. Today, we’re sharing how immensely beneficial scrapbooking can be for improving cognitive function and reinforcing relationships. 

Scrapbooking provides a wealth of mental, emotional and physical benefits for older adults. Research has shown that the process of scrapbooking helps expand new neural pathways in the brain, a process called neuroplasticity. The hobby is a fantastic way for those suffering from dementia or memory loss to train their brains to be grounded in the present while still reflecting on the past. 

Scrapbooking is also a creative outlet, allowing participants to express emotions they might usually refrain from expressing. It permits people to revisit their past experiences, relieving their  negative emotions and regaining a sense of purpose. Scrapbooking also offers advantages for relieving stress as cognitive abilities deteriorate. 

Scrapbooking can also be fun to do with others. As a social experience, it fosters communication, lightening the effects of loneliness and creating the opportunity to explore common interests with others. Scrapbooking is also a marvelous way to bring families together and engage in an intergenerational activity that strengthens bonds. By helping older adults sort through the memorabilia of the past — photos, letters, drawings, etc. — to build scrapbooks from their own documented memories, younger generations also have the opportunity to establish their own connections to their family histories that will last long after the scrapbook is finished. 

When looking for engaging, emotionally-rich and creative activities to keep your mind active and revel in the past, put scrapbooking at the top of the list!

If you want to learn more about how to scrapbook, check out the video below.

 

A table is laid out with material used for scrapbooking.
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08.31.21 | Community

The art of meditation and how you can benefit from it

In today’s fast-paced society, rife with uncertainty and change, devoting time to self-care and introspection is more important than ever. At Sage Collective, we support and encourage participating in spiritual or religious experiences as part of our 9 Ways of Vibrant Living. Meditating can be one such practice, revealing a sense of discovery and heightened mindfulness. 

What is meditation?

Meditation is an ancient technique used by many for more than 3,500 years; historians have traced its utilization back to the formation of many world religions. The purpose of meditation is to help train oneself in practicing mindfulness while learning to better understand feelings and emotions to create a healthy perspective. 

Meditating can feel uncomfortable and challenging at first, since it uses techniques that may be unfamiliar. However, this ancient tradition can lead to immense personal growth and understanding for those who find their groove in the routine.

Health benefits

Research suggests that meditating can have enormous positive effects on managing symptoms of anxiety and depression and reducing stress. Other conditions that can benefit from meditation include chronic pain, insomnia, high blood pressure and IBS. And while experts have yet to completely understand how meditation works, research clearly demonstrates the holistic impact it has on one’s health and well-being.    

Tips for how to meditate 

  • Get comfortable. Find a place to sit upright with legs crossed instead of laying down, as it can be easy to find yourself falling asleep. However, comfort is key for meditation, so avoid positions that may prove uncomfortable after several minutes.
  • Keep a timer. It can be easy to worry about time as you start meditating; setting a timer for small increments of 5 to 10 minutes of meditation can be an easy way to avoid that. Scheduling a specific time of the day to meditate can also help with consistency — leading to more beneficial results. 
  • Focus on breathing. It can be an easy way to get into the flow of meditation. As you breathe, observe what it feels like as air enters your body and then leaves it. 
  • Be open-minded. As a new experience, it may be hard to empty your mind during meditation. Emotions and feelings that might be uncomfortable may arise, but don’t ignore them; acknowledge their presence and slowly bring your focus back to breathing. 
  • Don’t give up. It’s also important to remember that meditating takes time and practice to build as a habit, and expecting too much too fast can lead to disappointment. Hang in there, and discover just how much of a life-changer meditation can be!

There is no “right way” to meditate — it is a practice meant to be personalized for each individual and will feel different for everyone. For those looking to become more mindful, self-aware and gain better control over feelings such as anxiety and stress, meditation may be the technique for you. 

If the art of meditation interests you, check out the video below. The 10-minute tutorial guides beginners through their first meditation and is narrated by a mindfulness coach and teacher,  John Davisi.

 

A woman sits cross legged with her hands resting on the top of her legs – meditating.
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