When we hear the word "meditation," many of us picture a calm, relaxed person sitting on a cushion in a quiet, serene setting. The person appears at ease, with a mind completely at peace. While this image is common, it's just one of the countless ways an individual can meditate. Many people feel they are unlikely to achieve this level of tranquility, but meditation is far more accessible than it seems.
According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, meditation is "a direct and convenient way to cultivate greater intimacy with your life…and with your innate capacity to be aware" (from his book Meditation is Not What You Think). In other words, meditation helps us engage with the events in our lives and grow our ability to be aware. How you meditate is up to you; what's important is connecting your mind and body and engaging with your thoughts.
Here are some tips to help you understand meditation better and a simple practice to get you started:
1. Meditation Isn’t About Having a Quiet Mind; It’s About Connecting Your Mind and Body
Just because you decide to meditate doesn’t mean your brain will stop its normal activity. The level of activity in your brain doesn’t determine your ability to meditate. Meditation is about recognizing when a thought pops up, deciding to let it go or set it aside, and returning to your chosen focal point. The more active your brain is, the more you'll engage in this process. This practice enhances your ability to focus and improves your awareness.
2. Meditation Can Happen Anywhere, for Any Length of Time
While studies suggest that meditating for 13 minutes a day can yield positive results, any amount of meditation is beneficial. You can meditate during a dedicated time of day, for a minute before your next meeting, while walking around your neighborhood, or even on a full-day retreat. Meditation involves connecting your mind and body by engaging with one of your senses and redirecting your mind when it begins to wander.
3. Meditation Is Not a Magic Cure, But It Improves Your Mind and Body
Many claim that meditation will fix everything that ails you if done correctly. While it's not a magic cure, taking the time to connect your mind and body while practicing awareness does build the parts of the brain that support empathy, positivity, kindness, and resilience. This growth can help lower stress, decrease anxiety, improve sleep, increase focus, and reduce blood pressure. You also develop better emotional regulation and thought control, putting you in charge of your mind rather than the other way around.
If you think you can't meditate or it's not for you, I beg to differ. All of us breathe, listen, smell, hear, and see. The only difference between meditating and not meditating is the level of attention we give to these actions each day. If you focus fully on any of these actions for a minute or more each day, you are meditating.
Try This Simple 5-4-3-2-1 Senses Practice
In the place where you are:
1. Look at 5 objects and notice their colors, shapes, and small details.
2. Feel 4 sensations in your body by experiencing your feet on the floor, the air coming in and out of your nose, or the temperature of your hands.
3. Listen to 3 sounds and allow the sounds to pass through your ears without judging or labeling them.
4. Smell 2 scents or recognize there is nothing to smell.
5. Taste 1 flavor or recognize there is nothing to taste in the moment.
As you do this, your mind will wander, and that’s OK. When it happens, gently bring your focus back to the sense you are concentrating on.
Congratulations, you just meditated!
Meditation is a practice, not a skill to master. Kabat-Zinn noted that the more you engage with it, the more you will fall in love with it. Speaking from first-hand experience, he is correct. I initially struggled to make meditation a part of my life and only engaged with it to get my coaching certification. Now, if my day starts without it, I feel something is missing, and those around me notice I’m a little off.
Give it a try. Worst case scenario, your mind gets a 30-second break. Best case scenario, you find a practice that helps you feel better. Either way, you can’t lose.
Interested in learning more about meditation? Join me on Thursday, June 13, for my webinar "Meditation Made Easy." Register here: https://www.lpkcoaching.com/events-1
Also, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get meditation tips and ways to reach your full potential right in your inbox.
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