MEDITATION

There are countless ways to meditate. I get asked that from time to time.

I actually talk about different ways to meditate with my friends all the time. The daily quiet time is essential for everyone I am close to. In fact, there seem to be as many different ways to meditate as there are people on this planet.
I am going to talk about a few of the ways that I have found effective for me. I will also talk about what you can do right now, in the course of your busy day to meditate in small ways, to remain centered. Enjoy!

Most people think of meditating a set of rules to follow, in specific ways, otherwise “you’re doing it wrong!” Nothing could be further from the truth. There is no one way you can meditate. Because any form of slowing down for even 3-5 minutes can be monumentally beneficial. There is no need to be sitting in a certain position. Exact results are not necessary. The process is more important than the event itself.

Let’s cover a few very basic forms of meditation:

You’re getting in your car. You unlock the door. Maybe you put your things in the back. You sit down in the driver’s seat. Before you turn the ignition, sit for a little bit. Listen to your breath. Are there nature sounds? Birds? Weather? Are there man made sounds? Construction? Other cars? Listen to your breath. Are breathing fast? Slow? Are your muscles tight? Can you relax a little bit more as you breath? Give yourself 60 seconds? Longer? How does it feel?

I know I have found that when I’m in the middle if my day, it can be quite surprising to feel how anxious I get. Doing a little stop and observe meditation like this can be enlightening. I feel less stressed. The more I do this one, the more comfortable I get with sitting for several minutes. It becomes a habit after a few times. Kind of like getting in the car, turning on the ignition, turning on the radio, checking your blind spot …..

Another quick meditation I like to do is going for a walk. I know, I know …. some people don’t really get this one. But the whole sitting in a full lotus position, legs crossed, chakras aligned and thinking of nothing doesn’t really work for me. Cuz when I’m thinking of nothing, I’m thinking about thinking about nothing and then when I realize I’m not thinking about nothing, I’m thinking about thinking about nothing, I get angry at myself for doing it wrong and then I am too stressed to let the meditation relieve me of stress and that is a little stressful for me so then I don’t want to do it. You know what I mean? So I like going for a walk. It allows me to breath in a rhythmic fashion. I can let my thoughts wander and come back. If I have troubles I want to think about, walking is great. Good weather. Bad weather. It doesn’t matter to me. Sometimes the rain can have a nice pattern to it. I like being dressed for inclement weather. Warm socks or a dry protective jacket fills me with a sense of security in the middle of a busy time. I enjoy sunsets. I enjoy large bodies of water.

OBSERVE NATURE; A good activity on my walks is to observe nature all around. Look at the leaves. Listen to the birds. Right where ever you are at this moment. On this walk. You will be amazed at the things you are surrounded by that you didn’t notice until you use your walk as a meditation; As an opportunity to observe. Be sure to look down too. Plenty to see underfoot.

BREATHING; is pretty much the key to all meditations. It’s a good place to start if you’re just beginning to meditate. It is a perfect return point if you are needing a center.

YOGA; is a great meditation. It takes my mind off my day to day thoughts. I focus on something very specific. I lose track of time. Take a class or watch one on demand. My first teachers were invaluable. Priceless really. They gave me a good foundation. Plus they were able to observe my positions and remind me to center, or breath, or hold a little bit longer.