I’ve been thinking about meditation. It’s a popular term these days. There are apps for it. There are websites devoted to it. There are practitioners and “experts” out there making many, many dollars writing and talking and teaching it. Is it another example of our move fast, get-it-done, make it enticing way of taking something simple and making it complicated? It seems daunting, but in my mind at least, it shouldn’t be.
What is meditation? To me, it’s a stopping of thoughts. It’s a cessation from interacting with the thoughts that constantly occupy, distract and direct our minds and our lives. And for me, the easiest way to stop THOSE thoughts is to replace them with non-thoughts or directives to simply breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Sometimes I have to silently SAY inhale and exhales. Sometimes I just breathe and it happens.
You don’t really need an app or a book or a course. However, if an app or a book or a course motivates you, go for it. Personally, I like using the Calm app daily meditation. It’s ten minutes or so, themed and guided and has relaxing sounds accompanying it. But I don’t use it daily because . . . well because life. And I felt lazy or guilty when I skipped it. But I’m moving past that. I am giving myself permission to go rogue in my meditation.
How long to meditate or cease thinking? 2 minutes? 5 minutes? 10 minutes? 20 minutes? An hour? Yes. Where to meditate? In your bedroom? The bathtub? Your car in a parking lot? In a special room with essential oils and a relaxing water feature? Yes. The answer is YES. Whatever you can do. Wherever you can do it. Just start somewhere.
BUT here is what else I have discovered – some activities are inherently meditative. The repetitive, relaxing motions create a rhythm that clears the mind and opens the channels to creative thinking. Wrapping yarn into small balls. Mindless coloring of mandalas. Stringing beads. Some of the mindful activities to be found here at TRS include the prayer antlers, cairns, rock painting, Modmalas and the Buddha Board. Come give one a try. See what you think. Or don’t think. That’s the goal. Will it dramatically change your life? Maybe. Maybe not. But it may change your day. And who knows where that change leads.
So, give yourself a break and just breathe. Namaste.
Transform Restore your Spirit . . . Tami