There you were, ready to start with that meditation of which everyone tells wonders.
It was one of those weeks full of stress and you wanted to relax for a while, but just put yourself in that position on the floor and you felt that relaxation was going to be little.
Your intention to practice was good, but you felt uncomfortable, you felt discomfort in the groin area and your head was in centrifuge mode.
“This is not for you” or “What an absurd waste of time” – you told yourself mentally.
Well, hey, it turned out that you couldn’t put your mind blank and feel that enlightenment that everyone is talking about. What a fiasco!
Sometimes, we have the wrong idea of how things are (or should be).
That’s why today, I want to share with you 5 different ways that may not correspond to the image of the Buddha that you have been sold to this day.
Meditation, like yoga asanas, should adapt to you and not you to them, and for this, nothing better than trying and listening to you to find out what resonates with you the most.
Let’s discover together some meditation methods beyond what meditation is supposed to be. I hope they will be of help to you!
1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness will help you to live more present, not only in a training practice inside the mat, but also beyond it. And this is where I want to get you on track today!
The definition of mindfulness says that it is the consciousness that emerges when we pay attention (intentionally) to the present moment and without judgment.
So, we could say that if you sit quietly to experience only what happens, without getting entangled in thoughts, you would be practicing mindfulness.
This can happen outdoors, for example, watching the movement of the leaves of a tree in the park next to your house.
Next, let me give you some examples where you could practice this state of presence on a daily basis, without sitting in a lotus position or leaving your mind blank.
- Color or paint: When we are focused on creative work, the rest of things dissolve into that experience. You can start by coloring a mandala book and if you have very developed your artistic technique, you can encourage yourself directly to draw or paint pictures.
- Kitchen: If you are one of those people who enjoy cooking, you can direct your attention to everything you do. Cut the food, observe its colors, enjoy its aromas…
- Conscious shower: May your hour of grooming be sacred. Enjoy the rubbing of water on your skin, how good the soap smells, the play of lights that makes its foam or the temperature of the water.
- Mindfulness walks: Walk alone for a while a day trying to pay your attention to what happens inside and outside of you. Feel every step and the weight of your body sway, listen attentively to the ambient sound or notice the sensation of the breeze caressing your face.
In addition, you can always create the habit with a more formal practice, even if it is brief, in which every morning you start the day sitting comfortably (you can use a chair, for example) and pay attention only to your breathing.
You can count every complete breath you take (inhalation + exhalation), observe the flow of air through your nostrils or attend to the swing of your body’s movement.
You will realize little by little, how you begin to manage situations better, how you feel calmer during the day to day and you will find the mental radio at much lower volume than before. Try!
2. The movement
It is curious because our bodies are in constant movement, but rarely do we move consciously and involuntarily.
Because we live on autopilot, we move like automatons.
Even if you are one of those people who usually practice sports, goes to the gym or goes for a run.
On most occasions I’m sure you don’t feel your body moving.
Therefore, as a method of meditation I recommend using that full awareness of which we spoke in the previous point when performing our movements.
There are those who find it easier to observe their body when it is active, so I thought it advisable to share this technique with you.
You can attend a yoga class in your city or prepare a space to practice yoga at home.
Or you can, for example, meditate while dancing. This is something that is little talked about, but since ancient times dance has been used as a form of meditation.
The 5 rhythms of Gabrielle Roth or Biodanza are disciplines that arise from this current need to find ways to connect spiritually through movement.
If it catches your attention, look for a center where you can dance in a group, but if you prefer, you can always find evocative music in your house and move your body in rhythm with your breathing.
Don’t think about anything, just move every part of you intentionally, connect with the music and pay attention to how you breathe. Enjoy.
3. Meditation with the elements
It is easier for us to meditate when we are in an environment conducive to it. Nature has always made us feel inspired and that is why working with the elements can be of great help.
If you are starting out as a mediator, what better than to reconnect with the essential: earth, air, water and fire.
In this blog you have already been proposed some meditation exercises with the element of air, water and fire.
Your body will be the channel that connects the element with you. Nature allows us to feel at home wherever we are.
Look for a song on Youtube that is relaxing and has natural sounds to be able to set the space.
Sit back, or lie down comfortably and practice concentrating on the element of your choice.
If you are sitting, you can observe a candle for a few minutes. For this you can help yourself with a typical fireplace ambient sound. Watch their movements curiously.
You can also help your imagination to make your breath led you to visualize how with each exhalation roots are created under you that anchor you to the earth, and with inhalation, small luminous fibers that come out of your crown to connect you to the sky.
How about imagining yourself as a container that fills and empties with water with each inhalation? And visualize the coming and going of the waves of the sea?
Of course, it will be like traveling without leaving home and I am sure that it will calm your mind, relieving all kinds of accumulated tensions.
Conclusion:
As you can see, you don’t have to retire to live in Tibet or leave your mind blank to enjoy meditation.
I hope you are encouraged to try these simple meditation techniques and that little by little you get riding the outbursts of your mind.
Remember, you don’t need anything to be able to do it, not even sitting on a mat in the Indian position.
No bad Buddhists, no unpronounceable mantras, no colored quartz… Only you can reach that state of connection and inner peace!
