And so, my friends, we have come to one of the more practical aspects of creating a mindful, peaceful, and purposeful life: How to meditate and how to build a meditation practice. On this fourth episode of Life is the Practice, we explore the essential elements of a daily meditation routine. We’ll talk about how to create a comfortable, safe space to practice and what sort of seated posture might work best for you. Most importantly, you’ll learn about the importance of committing to consistency and understanding that the journey itself is in fact your destination. I will also share some common stumbling blocks, strategies to avoid them and tips for sticking with your practice even when the brain wants to lead you astray. Perhaps you have a headache or very little time left in your day. Maybe your mind doesn’t want to settle down or your dog is barking outside. Still, you can do it. Your meditation need not be perfect. It just needs to be whatever it’s meant to be – without judgment. So join us. We are all finding our way forward together on this path called life!
Are you longing to live in a place of inner peace, abundance and confidence? Had enough of self-doubt, fear, and a nagging scarcity mindset? Then I invite you to explore my online course. It integrates all the teachings I use in my 1:1 coaching practice and the wisdom I’ve acquired over 25 years of mindfulness and research. Welcome!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- What exactly is meditation? Staying present and aligning with life, using intentionality to cut through the constant mental chatter.
- A few basics to set us up for lucid observation:
- Find a comfortable upright posture to help maintain focus.
- Laying down may put you at risk of falling asleep, but sitting in a chair can be an excellent alternative to sitting on the floor.
- This link will take you to a video that explains how to sit for meditation, both in a chair and on a cushion.
- Be thoughtful in choosing your setting:
- Where possible, choose a location that is calm, quiet and safe.
- The ideal temperature is around 70 Fahrenheit or 21 Celsius – not cold enough to be uncomfortable or warm enough to make you sleepy.
- Have a blanket on hand should you feel chilled.
- Leave your meditation space set up at all times makes it easily accessible and provides a sense of continuity.
- If you live with others, ask that they respect and hold space for your practice.
- How long should you meditate?
- Mindfulness is an ongoing practice that in itself is the destination, so every time you meditate you are adding to the body of your discipline.
- Optimally, meditation should be practiced daily, even if the time available is brief.
- As a general guideline, your practice should include two sessions of 15-20 minutes daily, perhaps first thing in the morning and before bed at night.
- The most important thing is finding ways to make it work for your personal circumstances. Some people meditate in their cars or during lunch breaks.
- Don’t have time to meditate? Think again! If you have time to brush your teeth or drink your morning coffee, you can make your practice habitual!
- What meditation looks like: It’s best to have a plan.
- There are varying types of practices and a mix is optimal.
- Juan’s guided meditations can be found here.
- If you’d like a free downloadable schedule, click The Practice Mediation Schedules.
- Whatever technique you deploy, it’s important to set an altruistic intention – an element covered in Episode 02 of this podcast.
- Tips to help your meditation practice take flight:
- Refrain from self-judgment. Any effort is a worthy effort!
- Just Do It! Even a very small amount of time is something – and enough!
- Expect some mental resistance. That is just part of the practice.
- Open yourself to whatever the quality or outcome of your meditation each day.
- It’s a trap to expect immediate returns on investment!
- Notice what’s happening in your body and allow what’s happening around you – without judgment. It is all part of the practice.
- When you’re having a particularly rough day, focusing on your breath can be calming. Beads can serve a similar purpose.
- A Parting Thought:
- One of the most powerful ways to integrate a meditation practice is by joining a community, a class or an online forum like Facebook.
- Read and listen to mindfulness-related content on a daily basis.
- Remember: It truly is as easy as it seems. Just do it!
QUOTABLE:
- “Meditation is only one aspect of the practice. We don’t want to forget other cornerstones, such as active practice and processing of negative emotional charge.”
- “Meditation is the exercise that helps us develop specific skills – like awareness and conscious alignment – which allow us to be more present, peaceful and purposeful.”
- “Mindfulness meditation is about developing skills that help us to be present and aligned with life instead of getting trapped in constant thought and mental chatter.”
- “Meditating a little every day, even for a short time, is better than meditating for a long time for a few days and then leaving it for weeks. Meditation is a long-distance run – not a sprint!”
- “Regardless of the technique we are using, starting each meditation session with altruistic intention is essential.”
- “Meditation can be full of confusion or difficult and unpleasant. And this is all normal. I don’t go to practice to feel better; I go to practice.”
- “The point is not to become great at meditation. The point is to become great at life. We need to learn how to develop these abilities under any circumstances, so we can use them under any circumstances.”
- “It truly is as easy as it seems, so find your spot, choose your practice and just do it. Don’t let your mind complicate it!”
FURTHER RESOURCES:
- Juan’s guided meditations can be found here.
- If you’d like a free downloadable schedule, click The Practice Mediation Schedules.
- More about “altruistic intention” covered on Episode 02 of this podcast.
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