Meaningful Meditation
Make It Stand Out.
We have explored mindfulness as one of the elements of self-compassion. As we understand mindfulness, consider the valuable tool of meditation. During most of my personal and professional life when someone asked me if I integrated meditation practices into my daily routines I would think “Are you kidding? You obviously don’t understand how intensely busy I am and how many responsibilities and priorities I have.” In my thought bubble I would ruminate about the concept of meditation as a frivolous practice that I would never have time for. Life has taught me that meditation is one of the most important elements in the integration of mindfulness into our daily life.
Meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, and emotional positivity. Meditation creates a calm in your head and in your heart. Meditation practices can be very easy for some women, but if you are like me with your mind racing all the time, meditation can be very challenging. I have learned that there are three important elements of awareness in preparing for meditation practices. These elements include awareness of your breathing, awareness of your body, and awareness of your mind. Dedicating time for meditation practices each day will transform your life. This could be fifteen minutes each day to thirty minutes each day depending on your lifestyle and schedule. It is most important that you practice every day.
Consider these strategies for understanding and developing skills for the three elements as we continue our compassion journey. Find a quiet comfortable place. It could be sitting in a cozy chair or laying on a carpet or yoga mat. Quiet music can be but does not need to be a part of this process. I have found that playing soft, familiar music helps me focus. If you are a beginner, start with five minutes and add five minutes as you create your daily practice over time. Set a timer so that you are not distracted by thinking about time. Once you are settled, focus on your breathing. Try to breathe in deeply for six counts and out for eight counts slowly and deliberately, just thinking about your breathing. If you are just starting to learn how to meditate, it can be very challenging. Your mind will distract you, and your thoughts will travel. This is very normal, but once you are aware that your mind is traveling, bring yourself back to your breathing practices and try to stay in the breathing until your time is finished.
Becoming aware of your body involves practicing a regular internal body scan. A body scan helps you assess how present you are in the moment and allows you to experienceyour body calming and relaxing, and where your points of stress are found. Begin with your toes and work your way up your body thinking about your body sensations as you navigate through your legs, torso, and head. Where are the points where you can feel tightness or stress? Let your awareness offer permission for those areas to relax and find calm.
Finally, awareness of your mind can be the most challenging of these three elements. I read once that our conscious minds can process 40 to 50 bits of information each second. Meditation offers a break for your brain, resulting in a break for your heart, which can be invaluable to building healthy life practices. It will not happen immediately, it is challenging to just keep your thoughts on your breathing and your body energy. You will find yourself drifting off to process a conversation you had with a friend or colleague. You might then think about your to-do list for the weekend or something as simple as what you are going to have for your next meal. This is how our brains work, and it is very normal. We can retrain our brains through practice to remain in the mindful moments of meditation practices by focusing on these three elements during sacred meditation practice. With dedicated daily practice your mind wandering will diminish. Meditation will become as natural as riding a bike!
Next week, I will share a specific meditation practice that connects meditation to building our self-compassion practices. Until then be safe, be mindful and be kind to yourself.