I’ve been reading Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris. Being a Self-Care Coach, I’m always on the lookout for new resources, and of course this is constant inspiration and fun for me, as well!
I’m not an expert, or even a consistent meditator, but do love the calm expanse that awaits when I meditate.
In case you want to meditate, and have any resistance, let’s go over some of the concepts, or misconceptions, that often accompany the very idea of meditation.
For those who think they need to clear their mind in order to meditate…you don’t. It’s not about clearing your mind; it’s about noticing your mind. Becoming more aware of what your mind does all day long, and becoming a witness to it.
Just keep gently bringing your attention back to your breath, and noticing the themes of your thoughts as you do so. Do this with compassion, with a friendly inner smile toward yourself. It’s not about judgement, it’s about noticing your inner dialogue.
For those who think it takes too much time – it doesn’t. Even one minute is good!
I do find that even one minute helps. To sit down, let down, just breathe; I can feel the tension oozing out of me. There’s no “right way.” No need for chimes, pillows, or any certain beliefs or expectations.
It’s a way to say hello to yourself. Just stop, come into the present moment with yourself, and feel the sensation of being alive in a body. Settle into your body, release the constant grip of the mind as it pulls at your attention!
Notice your posture, notice sensations, notice the rhythm of your breath. This is a gentle focus, and everything else can revolve around that focus for now, as you observe the breath, keep coming back to the breath. Let it breathe itself, easily. You can just observe.
In Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, Dan Harris shares his discovery of meditation and the life-changing benefits it offers him. He brings an irreverence and easy humor to the whole idea, and shares many stories of his and others’ experiences.
I usually meditate with a simple Bruno Gruning meditation. Bruno Gruning lived in Germany at around the time of WWII. He advised people to simply focus on their body; not even their breath. It’s super simple. You invite a healing presence to join you, and then focus on your body and notice it; noticing sensations, and also noticing your mind; bringing your thoughts over to a positive interpretation of things when you notice a negative inner dialogue.
These are very self-loving things to do! And this refreshing time-out is a great aspect of self-care.
What are your experiences with meditation? Do you sometimes meditate briefly, as we’ve explored here? Does it make a difference for you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Resources for you:
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics book
10% Happier Website by Dan Harris
Circle of Friends Bruno Gruning website
A tour through an orchid show by a dedicated gardener and an orchid lover.
Don’t orchids seem kind of…meditative? Oooh, they have a high vibration and a soft tone of clarity and grace, when you tune in to them. When I was taking Reiki, I held my palm in front of an orchid and could feel the clear quality of its essence, like a gentle breath upon my hand.