Episode 86 – How to think differently about meditation
Meditation doesn’t need to be something big and elaborate.
Back in the day, before I started meditation in 2010 I always thought it had to be special – meaning, I thought we had to go to the Himalayas with the monks and sit for a week in special robes next to a waterfall and not say anything – haha… that was my impression of meditation.
I now realize how naïve that perspective was.
In saying that, that can be a meditation experience, but this would metaphorically be like a brand new runner doing a marathon without any training – that’s a setup for failure and you wouldn’t enjoy it straight off the bat like a seasoned individual will!
Why?
Because most of us are not equipped to do so:
- spiritually – to be able to benefit from connecting with your inner self
- physically fit or flexible enough to sit with good posture or,
- even mentally strong enough to concentrate for extended periods.
So what do we do?
Let’s break it down into the fundamentals so we can succeed.
First, it’s about finding the time slot in your day.
For example, start with your commute to work (as long as you’re not driving!)
Secondly, start the mechanics of meditation.
Meditation is for you. Read on below to find out how.
Here are some instructions to follow:
Close your eyes and take that moment there to be present and non-thinking (ie. no inner voice). Bring your focus to something as simple as breathing or the sounds around you, the feeling of the chair you’re sitting on and gradually allow your mind to quieten.
Note: Of course, the mind may eventually bounce around – “monkey mind” they call it – but celebrate the progress you made today – It may only be for a brief moment, but build on it the next day. Push the mental barriers….literally.
Success in small steps
To bring it back to the runner’s analogy, if you can only do 1 km today, next time you aim for 2 km, then 3km then 4km… it’s the same principle with meditation, I would start with 10 seconds, then build to 20 seconds, then 1 minute. Next, you aim to do 5 min, then you do 10 min then eventually you could probably do 40 min.
Once you consistently get to this level, then you can go on a meditation retreat.
So that’s how it starts.
What’s your favourite meditation style?
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Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Chris Everingham lives and breathes health & fitness.
Hi, I’m Chris Everingham.
I’m sharing the holistic performance secrets that I both personally used to overcome racial scrutiny, escape poverty and depression, AND taught others so that they too could bring proven success and happiness into their lives.
Learn more about my time competing in international sports, in front of media and speaking with live audiences of thousands of people to discover my high performance secrets. Click here to grow your mindset, rewire your habits and transform your life.
