Mindfulness and Meditation
For everyone eager for a bit more quiet and calm as the pace of this time of year picks up, consider cultivating a mindfulness and meditation practice - it’s easier than you think!
Contrary to popular belief, you are not required to sit alone in silence on a meditation cushion on the floor in order to practice mindfulness. Nor are you required to stop your thoughts and empty your mind. Meditation simply supports decluttering the mind by noticing all the clutter already in there. In this way, mindfulness isn’t about not having thoughts - it’s about noticing your thoughts.
For millennia, the Vedic tradition has been acutely aware of the connection between the movement of the mind and the state and quality of consciousness. The constant noise of mental chatter is like a thunderstorm. Rather than standing in it at the mercy of the elements, mindfulness and meditation offer shelter from the storm, and an opportunity to observe it as it passes.
Below are a few surprisingly simple ways to bring mindfulness into your daily life:
Walking Meditation: You don’t have to sit still in order to practice mindfulness.
Go for a walk, ideally in nature.
Be aware of every step you take, and match each step to your breath.
Whenever your mind wanders, notice it, and gently bring your attention back to your feet.
Eating Meditation: Savor and thoroughly chew each bite of your food. Pay special attention to texture and taste.
Enjoy a meal alone, without distractions.
Eat slowly, take small bites, and chew your food thoroughly.
Close your eyes. Notice the texture, temperature, flavor. When your mind wanders, simply notice it and bring it back.
Loving-Kindness Meditation: Joyfully send kindness and compassion to yourself and others.
Commit to ten minutes of uninterrupted time and sit in a quiet spot.
Close your eyes and invite the qualities of love, health, and contentment into your heart.
Think of and picture a loved one. Send them the same love, health, and contentment you just invited into your own heart.
Body Sensing Meditation: Give your body ten minutes of attention and check into felt sensation.
Sit or lay down in a comfortable position and close your eyes, if you are willing.
Slowly “check in” with each part of your body, starting at the top of your head all the way down to your toes.
Notice sensations. Soften what you can, and release any unnecessary tension.
Sound Meditation: Play soothing sounds, and pay attention to the sensations created in your body.
Find a comfortable and quiet place.
Play a sound meditation, easily available on YouTube.
If your mind starts to wander, simply bring your awareness back to the sounds.
Living Vision Meditation: Imagine yourself in the future, exactly ten years from today’s date. What is your ideal life?
Get a pen and paper.
Imagine that it’s exactly ten years from today’s date.
Write and describe in detail everything you do, from the moment you wake up. Where are you? Who are you living with? How is your health? Are you fulfilled with your job? Do you travel? What is your approach to life? What is the quality of your life?
At Jane’s House Studio in Saint Charles, we offer various experiences yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. You are warmly invited to join us for practice!