How to Meditate on a New York Subway

A stress-filled rush hour on the New York subway can turn into a serenity-pocketed rest hour with the right techniques. The first step to learning to meditate on a New York subway is to keep one ear open for your stop. With that part down, the rest will come, if not easily, at least eventually, insuring your subway ride will be heavenly rather than resemble a chamber in hell.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Concentration
• Flexibility
• Balance
• A seat, a hand rail or at least somewhere to lean

1. Claim your space. Your meditation zone may be a cramped space on the edge of a seat or standing in the aisles. Claim it by sitting or standing erect with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Adjust all valuables either between your legs, under your coat or anywhere else someone can’t snatch them while you close your eyes.

2. Close your eyes and begin to slowly inhale and exhale, making each breath longer than the last. Pick 2 of your favorite subway stops as your mantra and repeat it in your head as you inhale and exhale. You may begin with something like: inhale, “Brooklyn Bridge,” exhale, “Union Square,” inhale, “Brooklyn Bridge,” exhale, you get the picture.

3. Imagine your soul as the train rushing through each station as you continue to inhale and exhale using your mantra. Picture all your troubles on the platform left behind as your soul races pristinely through the daily chaos. You are untouched and invincible from the daily woes, even if you are massively touched by all the people crammed against you.

4. Use the packed, underground environment for your meditation benefit. Each person that steps on your foot is the ugly realm of consciousness trying to break your concentration. Each individual that jabs you with an elbow is simply taking you to the next level of tolerance. Each passenger that falls against you when the train lurches is a reminder of how much humankind needs each other for support.

5. Keep one ear open, or use a timer to determine your stop. Slowly open your eyes as the train pulls into the station. Disembark and go in peace.

Tips & Warnings

• Stay awake, no matter how relaxed you may get or you may wake up in the train yard in Queens or Coney Island.
• Challenge yourself to remain serene no matter how disgustingly packed and humid the subway may become. Don’t let the daily woes intrude on your tranquility.
• Switch around your mantras until you cover all subway stops on all major train lines.
• By all means open your eyes immediately if you feel someone grabbing at you or your belongings or sense some other dangerous situation.
• Don’t lean in a doorway that’s going to keep opening and closing and forcing you to move. Gauge what side of the train upcoming stations are on and position yourself accordingly. If unsure, stand in the middle or at either end of the car
• Don’t be afraid to start chanting your mantra out loud. Heck, people might even get freaked out enough to move over and afford you extra meditation room.
• Don’t give up. Although it may seem impossible at first, you will begin to get the gist of meditating on a subway and begin to fully enjoy the ride.