Would you like to be calm and friendly? So that minor troubles do not drive you crazy, and even serious obstacles do not prevent you from focusing on finding a solution? Meditation will help!
Have you noticed that meditation has become a trendy activity? The stars tell how oriental methods of purification of consciousness help them maintain beauty and he alth. Business women admit that with the help of meditation they maintain calmness and clarity of mind. Even fitness trainers include elements of mental practices in their programs. But when ordinary women sit in the lotus position, if the dishes are not washed, the dog is not walked, and you again forgot to report the water meter readings?
If you really want to become calmer and happier, try a completely different approach. Don't look for a separate time to practice, but learn to meditate during your usual activities - especially during those that cause the most irritation. Still not sure why you should meditate? Firstly, in order to teach the brain to calmly accept everything that can happen. Secondly, in order not to lose your temper when events do not turn out the way you would like - for example, when you have to explain the same rule to a child for the sixth time. Thirdly, in order not to lie awake at two in the morning, playing over and over again in my head the hurtful words that were said to you in the morning on the subway.
We spend most of our lives on autopilot. We do our usual things, and our mind is far away, overflowing with thoughts about what happened yesterday and may happen (or not happen) tomorrow.
Meditation is a practice that will teach you to turn off disturbing thoughts. Instead, you can first calm down by focusing on the sensations in your body. And then, with sufficient training, learn to transfer this peace and concentration to all the events that happen to you. There is nothing mystical or irrational in meditation, but there is the ability to focus on only one object and live in the present. If you need a decisive argument, here it is: even official medicine recognizes the positive effect of meditation, because the less stress, the less disease. And these five ideas will help you organically introduce mental practices into your daily routine.
You are walking down the street
If you manage to go for a walk, that's perfect. But, if there is no time, try to make the most of those minutes when you go home from the metro or bus stop. You can turn an ordinary walk into a mental practice in this way: focus only on what is happening at the moment. Thanks to this, you will immediately calm down, and the less stress hormones in the body, the better the night's sleep and the stronger the immune system.
WHAT TO DO?
Inhale and exhale deeply several times. Then start moving, paying attention to what is happening in your body. The feet touch the ground, the muscles of the legs and hips work, the heart begins to beat a little faster. If an advertisement or a flashy window grabs your attention, gently let go of that thought and focus back on the movement. Notice how your feelings change: the sun came out and it became warmer, and then a cool breeze blew, the smell of sweets from the bakery, a bird sang.
The main plus of such meditation is that it is possible to practice it anywhere and anytime - on the way to work, to the bank, to the clinic and even in the store. Do you usually get angry when you have to run somewhere after the office or on your lunch break? Learn to turn things into dynamic meditation. Notice how you feel (“Tired and angry”) and think (“What kind of online service is this if you have to submit original documents in person?!”), but do not let your thoughts take over your attention.
You are driving
Anyone can lose their temper if they have to drag themselves in a two-kilometer traffic jam for an hour and a half. If you are in a hurry, then even 30 seconds of waiting in front of a traffic light is enough reason to get annoyed. Try not to wind yourself up, but use the forced delay time for mental practices. You have no control over traffic or traffic lights (as well as many other things in life), so what's the point of being nervous?
If you learn to relax behind the wheel, you will be surprised to notice that in other potentially stressful situations you show enviable calmness. Was there a loud-mouthed baby on the plane next to you? It won't ruin your vacation. When you try to call the bank, do you listen to an excerpt from Tchaikovsky's first concerto for 20 minutes? It doesn't annoy you - you even like it, the melody is great.
When you're faced with something you can't change, it's almost always stressful. It seems that you are powerless, and this is what is most annoying. But in fact, even in such a situation, you can choose how to react. Scream? Swear? Maintain inner peace? Or joke and laugh at what is happening? If you realize that the reaction is your choice, then immediately there will be a pleasant confidence that you can control at least some part of what happens.
WHAT TO DO?
To release the tension behind the wheel, inhale and exhale several times as usual. Try to focus on the sensations in your body. Your hands feel a slight vibration in the steering wheel, your foot on the brake pedal. Then expand the area of attention to neighboring cars, road signs, people passing by. Take this moment for what it is.
Easier said than done, of course. In traffic jams, waiting for a slow elevator, with train and plane delays, it is not easy to remain calm. Irritation and negative thoughts will come back again and again. Take each one as a signal to focus only on the present moment.
How to meditate correctly?
Prashant, yoga therapist at Atreya Ayurveda Center, certified teacher
From the point of view of Ayurveda, yoga asanas and breathing techniques promote physical he alth, and the practice of meditation provides an opportunity to improve mental he alth. Beginners should start with basic asanas to develop body awareness and prepare for meditation.
To begin with, you can make your body an object of meditation, try to become aware of your body language and all its processes - breathing, movements, sensations. This will allow you to be in the present moment and gradually lead to meditation. It is important to observe two principles. First, asana is a posture that ensures a comfortable and stable body position. Secondly, asanas should be performed effortlessly. When people are overwhelmed and tense, it is anti-yoga.
The most common beginner mistake is when people try to force themselves to meditate. You can meditate anywhere, even on the subway. Watch how the train sways, how the wheels knock. Your thoughts will stop, the mind will calm down - this is the real meditation!
Each of us has many responsibilities and things to do. If we work with disgust, stress arises. And if we do the same things consciously, with joy, it gives a result similar to the effect of meditation. Try to achieve perfection in any action you perform, gradually this will lead you to happiness.