Meditation for Real People
You don’t have to be a tree-hugging, tea drinking, yogi to practice meditation.
I use each of those terms with great affection as they have all applied to me at one time or another. They are all a small part of me.
Mostly, I am a wife, mom, photographer and writer. I take care of a house, and my family including two cats and a dog.
With all of your responsibilities, it might seem self indulgent to engage in a meditation practice, but by keeping it simple, it will help you conquer the rest of your world with great clarity.
3 Simple Reasons to Meditate
- Empty Your Brain
- Soothe Your Soul
- Open Your Heart
I could give you statistics about meditation and sleep, or heart health, but by focusing on the simple benefits of meditation and understanding how it will make your day easier to manage, you will be more committed to your practice.
All you need to get started is a quiet space, a timer and 10 minutes. Your quiet space doesn’t have to be an ashram or stark white yoga room with hardwood floors. In fact, it might be your car (when you are safefly pulled over), or your bedroom.
Choose from one of the following methods, keep it simple and enjoy these few minutes that are all for you. Your actual meditation time will be 2-5 minutes, but allowing 10 minutes will give you time to get comfortable and not feel rushed.
Streaming Meditation
- Get in a comfortable seated position. You can meditate lying down, but don’t be surprised if you fall asleep.
- Set your timer for 2 minutes.
- Close your eyes
- Take a deep breath in through your nose let it out through your mouth.
- Now breath softly but regularly
- Picture yourself sitting beside a stream, close enough that you can look into the water.
- Start focusing on your breath. It helps me to say “in” to myself, when I breathe in, and “out” when I breathe out.
- Your mind will begin to present ideas, memories and thoughts. Accept them.
- See each idea as at comes floating down the stream. Let the idea pass by. Don’t fight to quiet your mind, but don’t hold onto any one thought. Watch it float down the stream.
- You can always turn your focus back to your breath or just watch your thoughts float by.
- When your timer goes off. Stand up, stretch and get back to your day.
- Increase your time as you feel comfortable.
- Dont measure. The quality of your meditation practice should not be based on your definition of success. Just because you didn’t see the light or achieve inner peace, doesn’t mean you didn’t experience something good.
When the focus of meditation is a completely blank mind, it’s easy to get frustrated. Instead, focus on the benefits of a few quiet minutes. Don’t set a goal, or make a challenge, but embrace your active life and mind.
If you enjoy meditation and want to learn more, visit a local yoga studio and see if they offer classes, or read these articles written by an actual Zen Master.
At some point, you may want to develop a more formal meditation practice, but for now, just get started. Don’t wait until you’re in Bali or have the right outfit. Don’t wait until you feel enlightened or until you are flexible enough to sit in the perfect position. Start.
If you get antsy, or think meditation is not for you, think about the simple power of a clear mind, soothed soul and open heart. What would you differently if you could act from a place like that, instead of the usual?
Have you tried meditating before?
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Hi Courtney! I love the suggestion to visualize yourself sitting by a stream and watch your thoughts float by. This sounds so much more peaceful than the blank, black screen I usually picture.
P.S. I’m almost through your e-book and I absolutely love it! It’s a great, great piece of work. So simple, yet so helpful.
Jenny, I think it helps because that blank screen doesn’t stay blank for long! Thanks for your feedback on the book – so glad you like it!
Courtney,
Thanks for this great explanation of meditation for real people. Not to open a can of worms, but as a Christian I can tend to be a little leary of meditation. The way you have explained it however, there is nothing new-agey about it. I love the visual of a stream as running water always calms me anyway! I always struggled with just what to do with those thoughts that do come into my brain during times of meditation, letting them float down the stream is awesome!
Bernice
Does having less stuff make life easier?
Bernice, I think it’s easy to make meditation new-agey and woo woo, but if you look at it’s simplest function, it is really about resetting.
It’s a shame that people see meditation as self indulgence. I heard a story, I think it was on a Zencast podcast, about two people stuck in quicksand trying to help each other out. But each time one tried to pull out the other they just sunk further down in the quicksand. It wasn’t until one pulled himself out that he was able to to help the other out. Meditation is a great way to “fix” ourself so that we are better equipped to help others.
Neal, I’ve heard that before. There is something to that and the fact that on an airplane, you are supposed to secure your own oxygen mask before helping others.
Hi, I meditate every morning since some months now and it just feels so good, that it became a daily habit. Tonight I meditated together with my girlfriends father. He was just curious about meditation and I (and probably he too) have the feeling, that it is something good for him too. Nice experience.
I do a different meditation: I imagine a plant in my hip, that has a strong root into the middle of the earth, where the rocks are molten. Interesting kind of meditation too. I learned it from my healer.
Thank you so much for this post! I’ve been reading Mindfulness in Plain English and it’s helped me get started, but the image of the stream just makes perfect sense in the context of the book. The analogy of acknowledging the thoughts that you have while meditating, but letting them float away with the current … that’s sort of a lightbulb moment for me. I think my meditation tonight will be a little different and a little easier as I apply that concept.
I’ve tried many different types of meditation and this is the one that worked for me. Once I gave my thoughts permission to appear, I didn’t have to fight them!
Hi Courtney! Thanks for this great post. I used to take a few minutes to try to quiet my mind every once in a while. But I have not taken any time since my son was born (3 1/2 yrs ago). I think I am going to use your “method” to take some time tonight after I put him to bed
Jennifer, Let me know how it goes. It’s so easy, especially with young children to forget to take care of yourself. Hopefully those few minutes will help.
Hello, I love the idea of a stream, letting the thoughts or distractions flow down the stream (instead of fighting them). I don’t think I’ve formally meditated since I had kids, unless I’m in a yoga class with childcare! When I did practice meditation, I found it helpful to put on headphones or repeat phrases. To observe my breath more than try to change it. I found it to be transcendent a few times. Now, I do more quick bursts of breathing exercises, as needed. I wrote about it this week on my blog too
Marci, I’ve tried some guided meditation but it typically lulls me to sleep. I’ll check out your blog post!
This is a great new way for me to try meditating! I often get frustrated when I can’t get my mind to go blank – but now I know what to do instead! I love the idea of watching my thoughts float down the stream.
Wonderful post!
Clara, Some thoughts float down the stream slower than others but the more you practice, the easier it is to let them go.
Really nice article Courtney.
I never thought I had the time or termperament to meditate, until I had a child. Now, I try to take ten minutes of every day, usually during his afternoon nap, to sit and meditate.
Some days it is hard, and some days the ten minutes zips by, but I always feel refreshed, calmer and able to continue my day in a better mood.
It’s part of my routine now, like taking a shower or brushing my teeth. Something I have to do. It’s a shame that more people can’t overcome their ignorance to try something that’s really beneficial for their health and well-being.
Your directions sound incredibly like the ones for Centering Prayer. Namaste.
I too meditate every morning for about 10-15 minutes. I actually look forward to it. It’s a way of getting focused and grounded and just going into the quietude (not sure if this is a real word, but I like it) of oneself. Before doing something important, I often sit for a minute or two and close my eyes and breathe, to calm my insides and refocus on the task coming up.
A good basic book on this is The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson.