I’ve been friends with June for 17 years.

We clicked the moment we met and we talk to each other about everything. At least, I thought so.

It wasn’t until she mentioned her plans for a 10 day, meditation retreat in Peru that I admitted to my own meditation practice. We gushed about how much we love it, how it has helped and changed us and why we don’t tell other people we meditate.

It was that last idea that stuck and it occurred to me that, in many ways, meditation is a lot like masturbation.

1. Your friends may have been doing it for years but they’re not talking about it.

Meditation has been building in popularity but, to many people, it’s still considered “out there”. Next time you find yourself dancing around it, go ahead and confess. Your friends may surprise you by asking questions, being curious or even revealing their own practice!

2. Once you discover it, you’ll want to do it every day.

When you’ve built up a practice, you’ll find yourself feeling so good and looking forward to it so much there’s no way you’ll skip your daily sit. In fact…

3. You may find yourself wanting to do it several times a day.

Meditation can not only make you feel great—it’s good for you and it doesn’t take much time. And, since there aren’t any harmful side effects, feel free to schedule in a repeat performance.

4. People can get uncomfortable when you talk about it.

This can happen whenever you talk about self-improvement. It usually has more to do with your friends and their issues than you and yours. Don’t worry, you still love your friends even though they don’t meditate, right? Odds are, they’ll still love you when they find out you do.

5. It doesn’t take very long to do and you’ll feel amazing afterwards.

Meditating only takes a few minutes and it leaves you feeling relaxed and ready for the day. It’s the perfect boost when you need some “get up and go”.

6. You don’t need anything fancy to get the job done—just you and your body.

Meditation is fairly simple and can be completely free! You just need you, your body and a few minutes when no one will bother you.

7. But toys are a fun way to change it up.

Meditating is a pretty straightforward exercise. You really can do it with just your mind. But there’re some fun meditation toys out there that can make your practice easier, more fun or more structured. Whatever you’re looking for, there’s an app for that!

8. You may find doing it with your partner isn’t just fun, it can bring you closer together.

Partner meditation is a whole new ballgame from a solo experience. Seeing (and being seen) in such a vulnerable, honest way can build your connection like nothing else.

9. You can get tips from others but you’ll enjoy it most if you figure out works for you.

Many meditation experts have outlined a “How to” step-by-step guide and you should certainly use one if you’re new or need a jumping off point. But, after awhile, you’ll figure out what you like and there’s no shame in doing what works best for you and your body.

10. Once you start, you’ll wish you’d discovered it sooner.

Meditation can change your life in so many ways, it’s easy to think that you wasted time before trying it out. But we each discover it when our bodies are ready. Whether you’re new to meditation or you’ve been doing it for years, take heart in knowing you’re not alone.

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Apprentice Editor: Guenevere Neufeld / Editor: Catherine Monkman

Photo: Flickr / jhoc