Why is everyone meditating?
Let me start by confessing: I have never meditated. At least, not that I know of and never intentionally. I have, however, taken time to unplug from devices and enjoy the silence. I have allowed my brain to wander and wonder and have been able to allow free-flowing ideas to help solve various issues. Have you ever had a dream or thought about a great solution as you were falling asleep only to wake up and not remember what the solution was or how the hell you came to it? You try and try to recall but it just doesn’t come to you. Then, it spirals you into a blocked mental space of not being able to think about any other possible solutions and all of a sudden you’re back at square one. Without yet having a relationship with meditation, I feel like the mental space we tap into when we’re able to solve problems is a glimpse of the benefits to why people meditate. But, how do we keep from counting z’s before we can document our brilliant thoughts?
Personally, the concept of meditating sort of scares me. Maybe scare isn’t the right word but, instead, intimidate. I hear people explain their practice as being a “spiritual discipline” or a “journey” and have their mala beads, special prayers in Sanskrit and will inform you of their divine spirit. I immediately picture man-buns, crossed-leg sitting on cushions and some sort of gong in the corner of the room. Now, I am passing no judgement toward individuals deeply believing in various meditation practices and how it allows them to experience “enlightenment”. For a working professional that prioritizes my loved ones, an infinite effort in having a six pack and also allowing time for relaxation I simply do not have the desire to add prayer beads, a new language or hours on a yoga mat to my day. And that’s ok.
Luckily for us all, there is a happy medium. I reached out to my good friend, and yogi guru, Caitlyn Tvrdik for an easy entry into meditation. After her initial question “have you added info about doing a full body scan to start your meditation?” I realized I was even more out of touch with the practice than I thought. The following are ways to practice a full body scan when you have 10 minutes to yourself:
-find a space where you will be uninterrupted, can dim the lights and unplug
-set your timer, grab a pillow and a blanket (maybe, if you are trying this after a long day and you are prone to falling asleep whenever the conditions align, go without the pillow and blanket to start) and slide the pillow under your knees. Lay on your back, blink your eyes closed and focus on your breath.
-do NOT fall asleep; turns out, this is a big step to this whole meditation thing and might be where your “practice” begins. Be in this position without movement or distraction and stay awake for 10 minutes. I’m not going to front, this was, and still is, a very difficult step for me.
-once you can master that, begin checking-in on what you feel in your body. Do you notice any tightness you can relax, any discomfort or pain while you lay there? Do you feel anything like nausea, tingling or maybe a release while you also remember not to fall asleep? Take note. If your mind starts to wander during the 10 minute period and takes you away from focusing on sensations in the body, see if you can bring your awareness back.
-after being able to remain aware, the next step is to allow any and all thoughts to enter your mind and to let go of trying to control what to think about. Remember at the beginning of the post when I talked about that blocked mental space? Yeah, forcing your thoughts is exactly how we get there. Instead, if dinner for the next two weeks comes up, give it the attention it needs and make the most of it. Maybe you really just need to figure out what the hell you are going to have for dinner for the next two weeks. Chances are, if you address this topic fully it won’t come back around the next time you do a scan.
And, that’s it! You might be asking “but, Lauren, how do I stop meditating? This is great and I want to stay here forever!”. Well, if you are more disciplined than I am and haven’t completely fallen asleep with drool pooling in your ear, give yourself time to “come back to earth”. Slowly blink your eyes open, move your fingers and toes to wake your body back up and take a few deep breaths. Because, responsibility.
Maybe, meditation is something we all need in our day…or maybe you just need a nap. Either way, taking a few minutes to unplug and sit in silence can give you a chance to think about something important you may have been putting off. And don’t forget, keep a pen and paper nearby so you can jot down all the world problems you solve. Happy meditating!