Meditation on the Go

This week’s post is a little different because I asked my mother to guest write. My mother is a certified life coach and always has wonderful tips for dealing with stress and anxiety. I’ve been pretty anxious lately because of my university applications so I thought this would be a helpful post for anyone in the same place as me. She says this article is for anyone who wants a way to calm down but can't sit still or is always busy. Here we go.

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Meditation is often considered a prayer or worship by ordinary people.

Well, meditation is all about awareness. Being aware of anything is meditation.

It is an art of calming your mind. It is peace and stillness, blended with profound alertness.

Meditation is the practice of mindfulness.

It is observing your thoughts without being engulfed in them.

It is objectively witnessing the activity of your body and mind.

Once your mind is calm, you can increase focus and feel the inner peace in the midst of chaos.

Meditation is a way of life.

These days, people consider meditation as a spiritual practice that is performed when you sit still with eyes closed.

Meditation is more of a NON-DOING than a doing; more of a LETTING GO than holding on.

The reason why meditation is so essential is that it’s the foundation from which everything else in your life is built upon.

If you care about your well-being, meditation should be as embedded in your daily routine as brushing your teeth, showering and getting dressed.

You’ve probably heard that regular meditation practice has the potential to make you feel amazing — spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically.

I have listed some excuses here that everyone’s mind makes to stay away from meditation:

I don’t have the time

Meditation is boring

I cannot control my thought process

When I try to sit quietly, my mind wanders and worries all the more

I don’t know where to start

According to research, just 15 minutes of meditation daily for weeks makes positive, noticeable changes in your brain and reduces anxiety, stress and improves your sense of wellbeing.

Here are the ways you can meditate in daily life if you don’t want to sit still -

Activity 1: Meditation while Walking

PRACTICE: Whether you are taking a hike, walking your dog or just getting your mail, just pay attention to one thing at a time. For example, pay attention to how your feet feel when they touch the ground, the colour of the trees around you or the sound of the birds around you. Whenever your mind wanders, just grab it and take it back to the focus.

Breathing meditation can be helpful because you can practice it anytime and anywhere you go. It is scientifically proven that you can reduce a lot of stress just by connecting to nature.

We are not born to sit at a workspace all day long.

We have lots of stress when we don’t connect with nature.

Activity 2: Meditation at the Red Light

PRACTICE: When you stop at the traffic signal, turn off your stereo and just take a few deep breaths, with your eyes open. Get back to breathing when your mind goes off. Breathing meditation is something that can be done anywhere.

Activity 3: Meditation while Eating / Drinking

PRACTICE: When you drink or eat, just focus on different textures, flavours and feel of the food or drink. Enjoying the taste of chocolate or the heat of tea can also be part of meditation.

Activity 4: Meditation while Cycling / Running

PRACTICE: While running or cycling, keep your headphones in your pocket and just focus on what you are feeling. Tune into the sensation. Feel the ground under you, the warmth on your face and the wind in your hair. Keep focusing on any one thing. Avoid jumping from one feeling to another unconsciously.

Activity 5: Meditation while Waiting in a Queue

PRACTICE: If you are in a queue, explore your surroundings and consider your breath. Do some sort of inner observations until it’s your turn. Are you feeling hot or cold? Are your feet aching? Make sure your observations are judgement-free. You’ll be spending a lot of time looking at your surroundings and we are programmed to have an opinion about everything; just notice and observe your surroundings without judging.

Activity 6: Task-Based Meditation

PRACTICE: Mindfulness meditation can also be incorporated in daily life. For instance, you may try it while folding laundry, taking shower, brushing teeth, washing dishes and even washing your hands. They are like mini-meditations. Focus on the experience of whatever you are doing and keep your mind from thinking of anything else. Focus on what’s happening to pull your mind out of the ocean of thoughts.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Using meditation as a stress reliever is an easy habit. Just breathe and be conscious of it.

-Aarushi