Tune in to Your Inner Peace with Micro-Meditation
Everyone has their own methods of dealing with the garbage fire pressure cooker that is the world in 2018. While some might seek to blow off steam through holistic means like exercise, journaling or self care, others might turn to more hedonistic pleasures like partying, food, drugs or alcohol. Regardless of whether your method includes any — or all — of the above, it’s completely natural to seek refuge when the world is overwhelming.
Yet under the persistent daily bombardment of light, sound and information, we often overlook what is perhaps our most powerful innate de-stressing tool — meditation. Used for thousands of years by people all over the world, meditation can be practiced in all sorts of ways, many of which can take a lifetime to master, thus presenting meditation’s PR problem.
At first glance, meditation can present as an affectation of esoterica, a specific set of poses, chants and breathing patterns that requires a yogi’s discipline (and schedule) to master. On the contrary, meditation is simply the act of mindfully existing in the present moment, and there are multiple non-spiritual reasons to consider adding regular meditation to your schedule. Healthline recently detailed 12 scientifically-based benefits of meditation, including but not limited to:
- Stress and anxiety reduction
- Increased self-awareness
- Increased attention span
- Improved sleep
- Decreased blood pressure
And it turns out, you don’t even need to join a yoga class in order to benefit from the practice. Described by the Harvard Business Review as “mindfulness for people who are too busy to meditate,” micro-meditation is a super short check-in with your own awareness, in whatever situation you find yourself in, for as little as a few seconds at a time.
You don’t have to set aside chunks of your day (or even interrupt your coffee break) in order to enjoy the immediate, tangible benefits of micro-meditation. The following can be done at your desk, while waiting in line at the bank or even drifting off to sleep:
Breathe
Stand still or sit at attention, eyes closed or slightly open, and begin to concentrate on your breathing. You don’t need to breathe in any particular way — all you need to do is observe the natural rhythm of your breath.
Pay Attention
As you turn your attention to your breath, notice how it works. Pay attention to the moment between breathing out and breathing in and the feeling of air passing through your nose or mouth. If you want, gradually turn your attention to other parts of your body or, if you’re using micro-meditation to manage stress, turn your attention to where and how your body physically feels in response to any emotions you may be experiencing.
Acknowledge, Return, Repeat, Forgive
Your mind will drift. That’s okay. Acknowledge your thoughts and then turn your attention back to your breath. This can be a frustrating process, and that’s fine. One of the most difficult hurdles for novice meditators is letting go of the feeling of not doing it right. There’s no rush to this process. Be gentle; forgive yourself.
As with most things, the more you do it, the easier it gets, and with a few practice rounds under your belt, you’ll notice how quickly you can tap into your awareness to enjoy a calmer, more focused mind.
And who knows, you may even decide to take up yoga.
