5 Simple Meditations to Implement in Your Daily Life
Meditation is an ancient practice that thrusts us into the space of awareness and feeling. It is a space where we can feel our emotions completely, see our minds at work, and reside in the space of choice that lies in-between stimulus and response. You may say, “My schedule is too busy for that,” “I don’t have time,” or “I don’t know how to,” but the simple truth is that meditation is far less complicated than we make it out to be.
In this article, we will discuss 5 simple meditations that you can implement into your daily life so that you can navigate every day with confidence and clarity of mind, body, and soul.
Conscious Breathing and Heartbeat Meditation
This meditation is one that focuses on the body and builds appreciation for the physical aspects of life as we know it. As you begin, settle into a comfortable space and make sure that you are in a comfortable position — sitting down in a relaxed position with healthy posture is a great way, but lying down is also encouraged if that is more comfortable — and place your hands on your knees or by your side.
Once you are in a cozy position, bring your attention and awareness to your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose and feel the air fill up your lungs, hold it for a moment, and then let the air out slowly out your mouth. Be sure to breathe from your diaphragm when breathing, as this technique will promote deeper relaxation and presence.
After a minute or two of focusing on your breathing, allow your breathing to fall into the background as you redirect your attention to your pulse. Feel your heartbeat in your chest, your fingertips, your toes, your temples, and your eyes. Simply focus on feeling your beating heart reverberate throughout your body and remind you of the gift of life that resides within you.
This exercise can take as little as a few minutes and can also be stretched out as long as you’d like.
Thought Observation Meditation
Much like the first exercise, make sure you are in a relaxed position in a quiet space and close your eyes. This meditation focuses on the art of observation, which only requires your attention and willingness to relinquish control.
So many individuals say that they have tried meditation, but that it just doesn’t work for them — that they can’t stop their thoughts. That is because, meditation is not about stopping one’s thoughts, but observing and appreciating them. In this exercise, simply imagine the black veil of your mind’s eye as a television screen and watch as all of your thoughts playfully come to life. Whether they are negative, positive, abstract, rigid, true or false, allow them to be — this is your mind at play. Observe with appreciation as your psyche capriciously creates and abandons thoughts.
When you separate yourself from the thoughts or the notion of controlling them, you will find great peace. This is the essence of ‘letting go.’
‘Silence Beneath the Noise’ Meditation
I conducted this meditation while I was shoveling snow off of rooftops, so you don’t even have to be in a meditative space for this one. In fact, it is almost better if you aren’t for the sake of effectiveness.
With this, simply focus on the noises around you for a moment. Hear the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, the birds whistling, the trees rummaging in the breeze, and take a second to appreciate it all. Next, listen for the silence beneath the noise. This may sound crazy and highly unlikely, but once you can begin to find the silence beneath the external noise, you awaken yourself to the ability to find the silence beneath your thoughts and emotions.
When you discover silence beneath your own internal commotion, you have found the means to be still — to cultivate inner peace.
Gratitude Meditation
This meditation utilizes many of the other techniques that I have listed prior but directs its primary focus on feeling gratitude and appreciation for all of the very apparent and simple things in your life.
As you sit with yourself, simply start thinking of all of the things that you are grateful for — the color of the sky, the of tides crashing, the feeling of being in love, the way her hair smells, the way it feels when he holds you — and allow yourself to fall into the arms of awe and appreciation. Gratitude is the key that unlocks the gateway to a magical existence. When you feel grateful for the miraculous workings of the universe, you welcome a life that is unfathomable. You create a life where miracles lie in every single moment.
Affirmation/Mantra Meditation
First, take a little time to sit down and write out some affirmations for yourself. These are simple statements that assist you in reprogramming your psyche to propel you into higher states of being. For instance, some of mine are: “I am confident,” “I am attractive,” “I am creative,” “ I am a conscious lover,” and so on. Once you have written these down, get settled into your safe space, close your eyes, and allow yourself to relax.
During this meditation, all you have to do is repeat these mantras and affirmations to yourself with complete feeling — meaning you feel it honestly and entirely. When you say one of your affirmations to yourself, be sure that you mean it and believe that it is already true, even if your mind thinks otherwise.
This not only raises your vibration and propels you into more expansive states of being, but it also is the very basis for manifestation.
Making Time
Meditation — like all else — is a practice. The more that you practice, the better you get at settling into yourself. So, the question isn’t how much time do you have, but how much time are you willing to make?