Health & Fitness
How to Successfully Meditate Without Really Trying
The benefits of meditation are well known. People want to do it. Another thing on the List that doesn't get done. Sound familiar?
The front cover article of last week's Boston Globe "G" section was about meditation.The gist of the article was: everyone knows about the benefits of meditation. Everyone wants to do it. Most people are not meditating.
Find out what's happening in Beacon Hillfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Here's the thing about meditation: Everyone thinks it's about sitting still and having a blank mind and just breathing ... 20 minutes at least every day.
This is a wonderful practice, if you can. But most people can't.
Find out what's happening in Beacon Hillfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Dalai Lama doesn't even meditate like that. He has written that even he cannot sit still when he meditates!
Stress is a necessary part of life. Fight or flight responses are messages from the most primitive part of the brain, the amygdala (or as I like to say, Amy G. Dala, my most stressed out friend).
So what to do?
Begin with a review what you "think" you "have to do" in order to "meditate successfully." You can think about this anytime at all. In the car. Before you go to sleep at night. While you are brushing your teeth.
Ask yourself: What is meditation? Must it be sitting quietly for 20 minutes every day? Must it be a blank mind? Must there be a special seat and/or space in order to meditate? What is the real reason to meditate?
The purpose of meditation -- the benefits of meditation -- is to calm yourself down. While the ideal form of meditation is to sit quietly, etc... does that mean that if you calm down without the time and quiet that you are being not being a "serious" meditator? The answer, for most of us, is "No."
What about breathing? Do you breathe without even thinking about it every minute of every day?
If you've read this far, the answer is a resounding: YES!
Meditation is fundamentally, first and foremost, breathing and thinking about breathing at the same time. Multi-tasking at it's best.
Your breath is what calms you down -- deeper breathing. Or revs you up -- shallow breathing.
So how can you meditate all the time without even trying? Be aware of your stress.
When you notice you are experiencing feeling stressed: breathe. In and out. As deeply as you can.
Whenever you notice you're stressed: Breathe in. Breathe out. Three times.
That's the point of meditation: To be able to calm yourself down.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Congratulations. You are now meditating!
