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How to Meditate…
You may be familiar with apps like Calm or Headspace, and many of us have thought for years that focusing on what these fantastic apps provide is enough to really hit the sweet spot of meditation. News flash: if you can still hear the neighbor mowing their lawn, your dog barking, or the birds chirping, if you are planning what to eat for your next meal or thinking about a friend or loved one, you have not quite hit the spot. That’s not to say you can’t. The truth is meditation is tough; it takes discipline. Trust me, I was in the ADD camp and never thought I could zone out of the noise and tap into the silence of awareness. But if I can do it, you really can too!
So what is the right condition for meditating? Here are my top tips for achieving meditative bliss:
1. Environment
Ideally, a nice, quiet, private environment where you can switch off and say “fuck you, drama” for 9-20 minutes or whatever time you have available is wonderful. You can just use headphones and turn away from life if that is your only option, or lock yourself in the toilet like I once did if you are desperate for space.
2. Posture
Sitting upright in a chair, on a cushion cross-legged, or kneeling is great. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with a straight spine, or as straight as your spine can be (we are all different). If that does not work, your final resting place could be lying down.
3. Movement is Magic
What has really dramatically improved my practice is not just now having a son of 9 LOL, but using movement and breath to really capture the focus of my mind and shake off some of that residual energy we cultivate throughout our everyday lives. Being able to really shake off and release tension is such a wonderful way to allow focus to soothingly creep in like a welcome caress.
4. Breath and Mantra
Once moving through the body, drawing focus to the breath with a simple mantra to keep your mind occupied is such a glorious addition to really being able to suspend the mind in focus, allowing the wave of enlightened bliss to channel your soul to spirit.
Want to give it a go? Fab! Hit play below and let’s start a practice to allow creative cultivation to flow.
