Meditation is a great practice to help reduce stress, anxiety, overwhelming feelings, and other fearful emotions. While meditation is often done in a calm, controlled space, you can attempt it in any situation. Just make sure you are safe and others around won’t be negatively affected. Using this practice can be done in a busy store, waiting in line, or on public transportation. You can even use it at work when you are craving a moment of silence and reflection. Try these meditation techniques the next time you are in need of a reprieve.
Body Point Meditation
Body point meditation focuses on the 61 points that go from your head to your toes or vice versa. This practice helps with grounding and brings awareness to your body and mind. This technique works great in most scenarios because it can be done with your eyes open. It also allows your mind to be open to present situations. In order to try it, start by becoming aware of your left foot, or more specifically the sole. From there, slowly move your thoughts to the sole of your right foot.
Begin moving upwards, taking stock, and noticing each shin, calve, and knee. Work up through the rest of your legs to your hands, arms, all the way up to your shoulders. Move through the spine and middle of the body, then up through your head. Make sure to take deep breaths and focus on the breathing that accompanies each area of your body. Once you are finished, you can recount everything again in the opposite direction.
Buddhist Zen
This practice is all about focusing on your breath, while also remaining tethered to your present. In order to get the full benefits of this meditation, you will need to find somewhere you can sit comfortably. Once seated, find a long spine and tall posture. A high-backed chair, the floor, or even a bed are all good examples of places to set up. Once you have found a comfortable position, begin breathing in and out through your nose.’
Take notice of everything: from the sounds your breath makes, to how it feels against your skin as it flows in and out. When your brain begins to drift to daily tasks or worries, gently redirect it back to your breath. Any meditation practice takes time and patience to quiet your mind, so start with one or two minutes and slowly work your way up.
Mantra Meditation
Mantras are used to help focus the mind, and you can chant them while working on your breathing meditation to deepen the practice. Pick a phrase that makes you feel secure or good, or pick from preexisting meditation mantras such as “So Hum,” and “Aham Prema,” which are focused on “I am” thoughts. Mix these chants among your breathing exercise, saying them out loud or in your mind, reciting just one part of the phrase on each breath in, and the next part on the breath out.
Guided Meditation
Apps like Calm, Headspace, and Youtube all offer fantastic guided meditations to help you find a piece of zen in your life. These usually include having a place to sit or lay down, but they can still be done in public, at work, or at home as long as you practice awareness and safety. If a guided meditation notes it is better for sleep aid, wait until bedtime to indulge in it. Otherwise, find an unobtrusive place, then put in headphones and follow the breathing practices and prompts given by the instructor. Guided meditation is great because it allows you to focus on another sound or voice, which tells you what to picture or envision to aid in finding calm.
Yoga studios like TruFusion also incorporate meditation and guided breathing during their classes, so you can experience it in person as well as through applications.
Meditation is called a practice because it is always something to be worked at. Instead of only employing it when you are past the brink of stress or alone, why not try safely incorporating it into your everyday life to help find a little calm whenever you need it?
