If I were to ask you if you meditate, how would you interpret that question? Chances are you’d think, You mean do I sit with my legs crossed and try to be still and not think?
That would be a fair interpretation. After all, society has painted meditation in pictures like this:
Looks lovely, sure, but I don’t know anyone who meditates pantsless in a reflection pool with their head back like that – seems uncomfortable if you ask me.
Images like these can be intimidating to the novice. They paint a picture that you need serene outdoor space and solitude to meditate. The truth is you can sit down at your kitchen table right now, close your eyes and just breathe. You’d be off to a great start.
I’ve written about meditation before and I don’t want to be repetitive, so here is the link to my more comprehensive post with instructions and additional information.
My intention with this post is to reveal to you how much you already practice meditation without even realizing you do. Hear me out…
The act of meditation is wonderful for our well being; proven to lower blood pressure, relax the nervous system, relieve muscle tension, quiet the mind, and reduce anxiety, among many other benefits.
But what is the act of meditation? Meditating is what most people think it is, sitting in a chair or cross legged in silence trying to quiet the mind, but that’s only one form of meditation.
There are many other forms, countless forms! That’s because meditation occurs whenever you give something your complete concentration and attention.
Think of a project or activity you’ve done recently – perhaps you painted or built something, or tackled an arduous reorganization project; anything that required your full concentration. You didn’t think about anything that happened before or might happen later. You focused on the task at hand. Perhaps after a while you looked up at the clock and had no idea where the time went. But you didn’t worry, because you acknowledged it was time well spent. You felt… calm.
Sounds like meditation to me.
What about playing with your child? The giggling and games, the open heart? Joyous moments like these we tend to live in the moment. We don’t worry about messes or dinner, earlier arguments or future meetings. These are the moments we are fully present.
When I am out for dinner or drinks with friends talking and laughing, I am nowhere other than at that table or bar giving my full attention to the moment. These are the times we reflect on and think, I really enjoyed that. Sure, it was the company. But wasn’t it also great to not be weighed down with anxiety for the future or sadness over the past?
We can achieve these feelings even during chores! Real Simple Magazine cited that an October, 2015 study published in the journal Mindfulness reported that washing dishes can reduce a person’s levels of stress and anger by 27% – as long as it is done mindfully. Subjects were asked to focus on the act of washing (the scent of the soap, the warmth of the water, how the dishes felt) while leaving others to just do it. Those who concentrated on the task experienced the 27% reduction in nervousness and bad feelings and enjoyed a 25% boost in mental inspiration. The distracted washers experienced nothing.
This is why I say there are countless forms of meditation because meditation occurs whenever you give something your full concentration. A sport, activity, project, moment, hobby… People knit because they say it’s calming, but they get to keep moving. People play tennis because it requires their full attention but they get to blow off steam. You can meditate in so many ways! Just be all there.
If you only take away one thing from this post, let it be this: look for stolen moments of meditation and take advantage of them. Try it while you make dinner tonight or walk your dog. Allow yourself to enjoy the activity and to be present and mindful. Take in the cooking smells or the feeling of cold air on your face. Breathe. Don’t worry about what happened before or what happens after. Give your full attention to the task at hand. Take it in.
Be present. And you, too can acquire the many benefits of meditation.
