Or Exercises in Unplugging from the Universe for a little while

I try and meditate most days, if I don’t, I don’t. Life tends to get in the way of a lot of what we want to do, feel we should be doing and what we really need to do for ourselves. However, as part of my general daily routine I do try and spend at least 20 minutes meditating. Sometimes it is difficult; other times I’m there sitting, but where my mind goes is another matter and I do ask myself, can I really class that as a meditation; but mostly its just me being with myself. I guess, though, this is why some people also shy away from meditating to begin with.

Its not that I feel benefits, as such, when I meditate, but I certainly feel the difference when I don’t. Its like the sluggishness and general feelings of unhealthiness you get when you stop exercising for a while. You think the exercising hasn’t been doing anything because you have plateaued, but then you stop and gradually realise it was doing more that you thought: the weight goes on and climbing a few flights of stairs is suddenly a bit of a struggle whereas before you weren’t even thinking about it. When I don’t meditate I feel oddly off balance. I can only recommend it. Even if you take just 5 minutes out of your day. Have a notebook by your side to write down the weird creative stuff that pops into your head. If its a to do list that keeps popping up – ignore and go back to the meditating.

So while I’m taking things back to basics and just concentrating on the breath at present I thought I would do a post on a few of my favourite meditations for people who don’t meditate because they think its not for them or feel they don’t have the time. You do have the time really, is Netflix, youtube or facebook really that important right now:

Free-diving – I call this free-diving because I was a technique that was introduced to me by my son who was telling me how free divers practice their controlled breathing. I like it because you are actively concentrating on something very basic and your mind can’t help but not wander. So I think if you are trying meditation for the first time or feel you are not ‘getting anywhere’ then this is a good one to try. Start with counts of three or five but work up to 10 or even beyond depending on your fitness levels –

Sit quietly with a timer set for however long you have. Breath in for three/hold that breath for three/ breath out for three/ hold your lungs empty for three – repeat.

and that is it. Don’t try and keep this technique up for the whole time you’ve given yourself, but give it a couple of minutes then have a break – breath normally and come back to it again. Just ensure that you are filling your lungs for the whole time you are counting and completely emptying them when exhaling. Make the breathes smooth,steady and even. Find the gaps in your breath and leave them blank. Even during the session increase from a count of three to a count of five; from five to seven etc. Yes you are concentrating, and on something which is the most basic thing to concentrate on – the most basic of bodily functions. Meditating, despite what you may think is all about concentration.

so again

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Sometimes though you just need to turn off the noise. Here is a useful infographic that can just help with the turning off:

So you have turned off but then what; try just sitting back and taking on your immediate and familiar environment but in a new way:

Listening – Sit outside, weather permitting – and just listen – again that’s basically it. We are forever listening whether it be on the phone, internet, radio or telly, but take this time to concentrate on the process of listening. Wherever you may be – your garden, a park, as long as you feel comfortable enough to close your eyes so you can take time to take all the sounds apart: the distant white noise from traffic; the various birdsong, the different sounds, how they move about in the trees; neighbours coming and going, even the sounds of your house – the timbers creaking, that vague electrical whirring.

Wherever you are distinguish between the various noises. Hear life moving around you. Don’t get upset if its not quite the relaxing waterfall and birdsong CD track you want to hear, just accept whatever is around you as today’s auditory landscape including the neighbours awful music or the rubbish collection. As you breath in count a different sound – hold it in your mind for a few breaths, appraise it – annoying, repetitive – give it a new label as you do and then let it go with an exhale and find a new sound and do the same.

If after trying a couple of these exercises for a while, you want to explore doing a guided meditation then to be honest you are spoiled for choice when it comes to the internet. To start with, you can’t really go wrong with Headspace which offers a 10 day trial. Another app which helps bring out the habit of meditating is the Mindfulness Daily app, which concentrates on a few minutes bursts of mediation. Then there is the Meditation Association of Australia. Look for their podcasts and don’t be put off by the fact they don’t appear to have posted anything new for a few years. Start with the first and then take them in any order depending on what seems right to you on the day. If you are stuck at a desk and feel the need to take some time out then try this web site – its just completely and will take you back to nature for a minute or so each day.

If all that is still too much then try the following:

Do Something–

If you still feel you haven’t got time or inclination to just sit there and breath why not do a more ‘doing’ meditation. Next time you have a mundane and repetitive task such as ironing or washing up or more than likely in this day and age – unloading and loading the dishwasher, peeling/chopping vegetables or something you feel you do ‘without thinking’ but have to do anyway – Concentrate very much on the doing: how objects feel: textures, temperature differences; marvel at your hands as they move, grip things, let them go. Just give a simple task your complete undivided attention.

This last one strictly speaking is labelled as ‘mindfulness’ rather than meditation but sometimes you need to properly concentrate on what you are doing. How many times have you driven along and suddenly realised you don’t recall the past mile or so because your mind was somewhere else. Scary really when you think about how much we do on autopilot.

As you can see I’ve tried to keep away from the ‘keeping your mind empty’ bit, deliberately so. But in doing any of these hopefully you will find that by taking some time out, will give a re-calibration to your day – let me know how you get on.

Lastly, these exercises come from me as someone who just practices meditation herself. I’m not affiliated with any organisation, I don’t lead classes nor am in any way ‘qualified’. I am, though, a believer in meditating and the benefits it can bring to your life in terms of general feelings of wellness and just being a better version of oneself; and feel really strongly that if you are not meditating you should be. So quite importantly – find your own way to begin with, what works for you. These are just my personal recommendations. Importantly, you need to go out and research how and what other people do, which matches your own path.

And would you believe it but while you are meditating don’t forget to wrap your shoulders in the warmth of a bamboo scarf. They are wonderfully warming and healing to wear especially when meditating. The one above is Journal or may be try the Periwinkle below.

Seriously – you don’t blame me for this one do you – I did leave it right to the end after all

Nameste 🙂