Meditation 101
Starting a meditation practice can be confusing. Our knees will not bend right, our back hurts, we do not follow a guru or specific way of life, our thoughts are roaring loudly the moment we shut our eyes, we do not understand chanting and we don’t know how to breathe deeply.
We feel we have flunked meditation. Yet, with mindfulness mediation going mainstream, there is an approachable door to inner awareness. If you love to sing, play an instrument, listen to music, practice yoga, dance, garden, run, hike, bike or walk your dog, you can find meditative moments. It is that special space when your busy left-brain goes off line and your creative right brain sparks with being in the moment. By engaging moments of calm, you can find quietness, inner focus, heightened senses, open heart fuzziness, energetic aliveness, spaciousness and a connection to something other than the mighty ego trying so hard to control the past or future.
Meditative moments are sublime. Thoughts may still creep into your awareness (they always do!), but by putting your overactive brain on pause and opening your heart to hearing and feeling the richness of life, a sweet space opens and a smile lights up your face. You have found one way to meditate!
By Suzie Daggett
Formal meditation was too structured for me and I "flunked." I'm inspired now to customize.
ReplyDeleteThis is such good advice, Suzie. I try to forget about the intimidating word "meditation" and just take breaks from whatever I'm doing to be "in the moment." That's when I notice the new buds on our trees, the flowers already spiking through the ground in mid-February, and the pygmy nuthatch visiting our bird feeder.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been recommending “active” meditation for years to bffs who find traditional meditation too daunting - shared how I manage to meditate while commuting - a surefire way to set your intention for your day and arrive at work centered and calm, rather than frazzled and annoyed! I swear it’s added years to my lifespan, while taking decades off my countenance!!
ReplyDeleteI am interested in contributing as well, please! Thank you!
ReplyDelete