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Mind wandering? Meditation could help

WGAL Lancaster-Harrisburg 5/25/2022

If you find your mind wandering, meditation could help.

"All you do is pay attention and notice what's happening," said Dr. Chris Peterson, with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

Peterson, an anesthesiologist and a Buddhist meditation leader, has found the value in setting aside time to slow down and de-clutter the mind.

"You begin to shift from living in your head to living in the world, and that's where you begin to notice things," he said.

Peterson said meditation is a way not to clear your mind but to free it and focus on what you're seeing, hearing and how you're feeling.

He's been practicing for years.

"I tend to be less up and down about things. Things hook me less. I get triggered less," he said.

He suggests finding a quiet spot, sitting with your feet flat on the ground and focusing on your breath.

"You don't change your breath. You just notice it," he said.

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Try not to let your mind wander. Every time you get distracted by a thought, bring yourself back to the present.

"The thoughts will never go away. Our mind just keeps generating thoughts, but it's how we deal with them," he said.

Peterson said you can get the benefits of meditation even by dedicating just a few minutes to it every day. Be kind to yourself as you try.

"Honestly, it's something that will change people's lives in so many ways," he said.

Peterson suggests trying to spend five to 15 minutes per day in meditation. You could find that it starts getting easier to focus after two weeks.

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