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Meditation and Mindfulness
Meditation, often known as “sitting,” comes
in various forms - from simply sitting and noticing
what is, to more elaborate visualization processes. There
are many avenues to learn more about meditation,
check our Resources page and/or Google "meditation".
This writing is for all of you who, like me, have
some difficulty with meditation.
I know, I know - it “should” be “easy” – just
sitting and observing. For many reasons, finding
time in the day, quieting the mind, and “being” for
30 minutes, 20, or even 10 minutes, can be difficult. Maybe
I have too many rules about what it “should” look
like. However, my typical excuse is that
I can never “find the time” (more accurately
get motivated) to meditate. So I spoke with
my friend (and Ayurvedic practictioner) Reenita Malhotra,
about what I CAN do.
I’ve learned that takes on many forms. Meditation
can be simply mindfulness, it can happen any time. To
me, mindfulness is focusing on what I am doing RIGHT
NOW, and breathing. This helps me to be in
my body and to focus on myself and what I am doing – I
can then quiet my mind and have more clarity. Have
you noticed how many times when you are in the shower,
great ideas come to you? Even this is a form
of mindfulness.
To begin, chose some activities that you like to
do or would like to learn how to do. These
activities should be simple, easy to do, maybe even
monotonous. For example, while I enjoy making
jewelry and this provides a creative outlet, it is
often intricate and can create tension. So I decided
not to use this as one of my activities (unless it
was a consistent, simple assembly task). Instead,
I decided to take up knitting, which requires much
less concentration. My list of “mindful
tasks” include: walking, hiking in nature,
chopping vegetables, folding laundry, poi dancing,
and knitting.
I’m able to slow down and perform these tasks
in a mindful way. While I’m chopping or knitting,
I’m breathing, consciously relaxing, and focusing
only on the task at hand. It’s wonderful,
because as I’m doing the tasks, I’m accomplishing
things that normally might otherwise add to my stress
of unfinished chores. I’m getting them
done - and while at a slightly slower more mindful
pace - I’m doing something beneficial for my
mind and body at the same time. Sometimes these
tasks are “productive” and other times
they are simply for the “creative process.”
I also enjoy adding an element of spiritually to
it. I like to “infuse” my work with a
positive energy, so while I’m chopping dinner,
I’m intending to infuse the food with good
energy that will nourish us as we eat. While
making a scarf, I infuse the piece with good intensions
for the wearer – safety, health, love, etc. I’ve
found this enhances the meditative process for me
and it feels really good.
Meditation helps us slow down our racing mind, provide
moments of clarity, and get us in touch with our
spiritual and energetic body. For me, a mindfulness
practice is meditation.
When your life feels overwhelming, take a chore
and make it a meditation.
-Julie Matthews
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