Present moment awareness, especially of your body, and the sensations you are having in it, gives you choices for healing. It is the form of meditation I teach to clients as one of the keys to their healing. The practice of it can be a game changer in your life.
The idea that you do not have to carve out an hour of crossed legged sitting on the floor, sans distractions, thumb and forefingers super glued together to practice meditation might be a shocker. The idea comes from a book by Adyashanti called True Meditation. He teaches us that every single moment of our every day regular lives is an opportunity for meditation. We can now stop referring to meditation under our breath as the “M” word, and start the practice that has the potential to change our lives.
What this meditation master was talking about in his book was more along the lines of body awareness, being able to feel what is going on inside yourself at any given moment of the day, whether you are in a sitting mediation, changing a diaper, balancing your checkbook or washing the dishes at the kitchen sink. Teaching the idea of body awareness should be a foundation of every healing art. Without it there isn’t much chance of real healing. We must feel to heal. Without awareness, there is no choice, we are stuck in our chattering minds, intent on solving future problems or worrying about past choices and in the meantime, the body can be stuck in one big clench.
The realization that any moment could be an opportunity to meditate, should cause a sigh of relief. The full time job, two kids, two dogs, get the proper amount of exercise, traveling husband, busy life isn’t going to allow for “proper” mediation. There is no doubt we need to do it, just no way in hell it is going to happen according to the rule books that we have all previously read. This new idea is the way in, and it might turn out to be a huge blessing, giving you a practical practice of present moment awareness that could change the way you move through life and enhance opportunities for healing.
Here are 5 ways you can meditate anywhere, anytime, without sitting down:
1. Realize that any moment is a chance to feel and be present, so try being present to the feeling in your body as you roll over and sit up in bed in the morning. What parts of you do you notice? What kind of thoughts are already entering your mind?
2. When we drop down inside, shifting our energy and attention from the constant voices or messages in our mind, to the feeling senses, and notice what is going on in the body, we are becoming present to the moment, a moment of meditation. So try doing this as you interact with the first person of the morning, and notice how your muscles tense in reaction to their voice.
3. As you get in touch with your present moment sensations, know that this is a pathway to your healing. As you gather your things and walk out the door, take a moment to fully arrive in your body as it moves. You can be aware in any movement…what hurts, what feels tight, what has ease and flow? As you get more active, are you checking out and being drawn into your mind chatter?
4. When you are driving in your car stopped at the light, buttocks and jaw clenched, worried you will be late to your meeting, take a breath. Unclench. Be here, now, and feel what your body is doing in response to your stress.
5. As you face the day’s challenges, at work with a frustrated co-worker, at home with a sick child, or maybe on the phone with a distraught friend, stay in your body, relax and breathe, present to the tension so that in the same moment of feeling it, you are already releasing it.
You can respond to life with mindfulness in this way, and instead of reacting, you can meditate in these moments, allowing each of them to be an opportunity for a calm response and choice. Does it still count as meditation if I don’t plant my butt cross legged on the floor for a predetermined amount of time? I think so, and I know at least one meditation master that calls that true meditation.
As always, I would love you to share this with someone you love!
And stay tuned for the next issue of Black Belt Magazine, where you will find an article by yours truly: ”Keys To Better Kicks. 18 Things To Do Now To Become A More Effective Kicker!”
COMMENTS
I’m working on it. Thank you . It’s not easy though.
It’s not easy, but it’s worth it!
