What was once the realm of spiritualists and hippies, meditation is viewed today as more a tool to improve cognitive functions and overall health than a purely esoteric, spiritual pursuit.

A quick search of PubMed reveals the conspicuous volume of research that backs the notion that substantial health benefits can be gained through a daily meditation practice.  From improving focus and attention, regulating anger and anxiety, to improving sleep and even bettering the aging process, there is every reason to develop a meditation practice and little reason not to.

In a time when our ability to focus is diminishing and the number of things clamouring for our attention grows daily, it can be difficult to develop the practice and do it  consistently.  In recent weeks, I’ve begun using a few tools that not only make the act of meditating easier, but are enticing enough to pull me back day after day.  These are my current favourites:

The App: CALM – uses background sounds from nature like bodies of water, birds, wind and rain, and offers a variety of guided meditations tailored to a number of activities.  The app comes standard with a selection of 3 background sounds and a handful of guided meditations with additional paid content available.  I use the basic nature sounds and pair this with the timer app on my iPhone.  I set the alert on the timer to “stop playing” and when the timer ends, the back ground sounds of the Calm app stop.  This signals the end of my session in the most gentle way possible.

I prefer using the nature background scenes over guided meditations as I prefer to remind myself to return my focus, rather than relying on a guide.  This is simply a personal preference and works for me.  Certainly, guided meditations are useful for many people.

Calm is free to download from the App Store and Google Play.

The Furniture: IKUKO – This smallish stool allows you to sit comfortably in a position similar to sitting on your heels on the floor.  Your bottom rests on the seat and your legs and feet tuck under the stool.  This puts the back in a comfortable, upright position and is far easier to maintain than a traditional lotus, or crossed leg seated position.

The Mat – I picked up a simple 2′ x 4′  wool rug from a home store that I use only for meditation.  It provides some cushioning and the design and natural fibers add a yogic feel I find appealing.  Using it only for meditation seems to add to the ritual of the experience.

One certainly does not need any of these objects to meditate, but sometimes tools like these can help to build the habit and make it stick.