How To
Meditate If You Can't Sit Still
By Kate James
At our
revitalize summit, MindBodyGreen CEO and Founder Jason Wachob dared meditation
teacher Charlie Knoles to teach everyone in the audience how to meditate in
just one minute. Here's what he did! Read
When
you’re anxious or depressed, sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is
sitting down with your thoughts. But what many of us don't realize is that we
don't have to sit still to meditate!
We can
be just as mindful in movement by making some of our activities a meditation as
well. So if you're having trouble sitting in half-lotus and opening that third
eye of yours, try these active alternatives that may heighten your awareness
and bring clarity to your mind.
1.
Turn your daily stroll into a mindful walk by moving with intention.
Whenever
possible, walk in a place where you’re making a connection with nature. Focus your attention on your breath as you start to walk,
noticing where your breath is in your body, and then taking that breath deeper
into your lungs.
Next,
bring awareness to your body by taking notice of your feet making contact with
the earth. Pay attention to how the breeze feels on your skin. Now listen, look
around you, and try to name everything that you see. The simple act of stopping
to take notice of everything around you will keep your attention grounded in
the present.
2.
Quiet the chatter in your mind by going for a therapeutic swim.
There
is a natural meditative quality to swimming. It is partly the therapeutic power
of water, but the repetitive stretching and releasing of muscles that happens
as you swim will help to evoke a sense of relaxation in the body.
Pay
close attention to how the water feels on your skin as your hands and legs
propel you forward. You might like to try adding in a mantra as you swim, by
repeating the word release to help liberate your mind from its incessant
train of thought.
3.
Embrace a primordial mind-body connection through the power of dance.
Dance
therapy has been used for centuries across the globe as part of traditional
healing practices. Any form of dance helps to connect the mind and body and in
turn, reduce anxiety.
Dance
classes are a great way to start. Meditative and creatively expressive, the
wide-range of rhythms helps connect you with your emotions, building
self-awareness and helping you to make peace with whatever feelings arise. Of
course you could always just crank up the stereo at home or go out dancing with a group of friends, too!
4.
Practice yoga! It's the oldest trick in the book.
One of
the most long-favored forms of moving meditation is yoga. Like tai chi and qi
gong, yoga helps to bring about a mind-body connection through gentle and
focused movement, while deepening the connection to your breath.
If you're new to yoga, try a few different styles first, to
see which method best suits you. Always remember that yoga is not about
comparing yourself with others, or trying to perfect a pose — think of it more
as a moving meditation and time to be with yourself.
5.
Chant or sing to your heart's content!
It’s
almost impossible to listen to a worried or anxious mind when you’re chanting, especially in a yoga class. Discover the music
and hymns, Sanskrit or whatnot, that resonate with you the most.
Find a
space in your home or attend a yoga or meditation class, where you can freely
turn up the volume of your voice, and really put your heart and soul into it.
And if chanting isn’t your thing, you’ll get just as much benefit from singing
along to one of your favorite songs.
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