The current moment is the best place to be in the midst of the latest COVID-19 surge.
Staying in the present moment can offer immense benefits when we're stuck online again, dodging maskless shoppers at the grocery store, or experiencing a version of personal hell that we'd love to instantly escape.
How is it possible that we're besieged by digital notifications, a crushing news cycle, and an endless workload, and that we feel sad or anxious? While it's overwhelming, it can be gently interrupted with the help of meditation. It creates space for us to recognize a racing heartbeat, worried mind, or obsessive thinking about the future, and extend kindness and compassion to ourselves. It's not a panacea for everything that ails us, and certainly not a substitute for fixing broken economic systems that subject so many to hardship, but it can help us feel more at ease regardless of what's happening around us.
Diana Winston is the director of the University of California Los Angeles' Mindful Awareness Research Center and she says that it prevents us from getting lost in spirals of thinking that can lead to more anxiety. We're trying to train our minds to have more stability.
People are drawn to the promise of being aware but don't know where to start. You don't need to buy or subscribe to a digital product to explore the practice of meditation. She gave me a list of her top exercises for beginners.
1. There is meditation.
The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness is the author's second book. A helpful routine and structure can be found in meditation.
Setting aside five minutes in a space with few or no disruptions is the simplest way to start. If you like, you can sit on a couch or chair, close your eyes, and take a moment to notice your breathing. Do you feel it in your chest, nose, or abdomen? Follow and pay attention to that sensation.
When a thought or observation diverts your attention, observe it with curiosity and openness, then return to the sensation of the breath. Listen to the sounds around you as they come and go, if following the breath is uncomfortable. Track the noise of an airplane. If your attention wanders, bring it back to the sound.
It's important to cultivate an awareness of when thinking causes more psychological or emotional pain because it's obsessive or counterproductive to relaxation.
2. Walking meditation.
If you don't like sitting meditation, you can try walking meditation. Pick a space in your home or outside. Then walk 10 feet. Pay attention to the sensations in your feet and legs during this time. Try to notice the tiny movements of the muscles. When your attention is drawn to something else, return to your sensations. When the mind wanders, you can apply the same approach to returning to physical sensations as you would if you went for a longer walk.
It's not a good idea to meditate for everyone. Some people don't experience the benefits of anxiety. She suggests other activities that reduce distraction and help cultivate more appreciation for and connection with the present moment if that is the case. It could be a walk in nature, a run, or playing music.
She wants to know where the spaces that bring in the spirit ofMindfulness are located.
3. Take a breath, observe, and practice stop.
"Stop" is an acronym that is used to describe a "mini-mindfulness" exercise in which you stop what you're doing, take a breath, and then proceed with your activity. It can be done in a matter of 10 seconds, after a work meeting, following a toddler's meltdown, online shopping, or at the grocery store. The purpose is to notice what's happening in your body and mind. It is possible to develop more awareness by noticing physical signs of stress or even contentment.
4. You can feel your feet on the ground.
This is a simple exercise that you can do on your feet. "When we're lost in our thoughts, we forget that we have a body, and we lose our focus," says Winston. She suggests that you feel the support of the ground to improve your sense of awareness in the present moment.
5. A repetitive activity and a meditative activity.
It's easy to go the whole day without practicing something when it's a new habit. It's important to pick a repetitive daily activity and make it a short exercise. Changing a baby's diaper, opening a door, or turning a car key are some of the things that could be done. As you feel the connection of your hand as it turns the key, watch the sensation. Pay close attention to the activity. If you take a break, you can get back into the present moment, rather than thinking about what will happen later in the day.
The little moments add up.
Staying in the present moment is hard.
The present moment can be bad. Maybe you or someone you love is sick. Maybe you received bad news. You could be angry. It's not about pretending we're not hurting.
When we're deep in suffering, it can be helpful to acknowledge that. Instead of letting impulse determine our actions, we can see challenges for what they are. Tara Brach, a psychologist and meditation teacher, describes radical acceptance as the courage to face and accept our reality as it is now. We don't condone that reality or remain passive about it, but we extend compassion to ourselves.
The more we are conscious, the more we will show up for our lives.
Simple physical gestures, like putting a hand to your heart, may help, along with language like "It's OK, I'll get through this." If that's too sentimental for you, imagine that a loved one is sending you kindness or that your dog or cat is cuddling up next to you.
It's important to have some kindness for yourself in the midst of it.
When you need it the most, you can resist it. See my confession here. You don't need to punish yourself for missing opportunities to practice. The practice isn't about being perfect.
The more we are aware, the more we will show up for our lives. We'll have moments of peace instead of fear and chaos, because we'll feel more gratitude and appreciation.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
