How to Meditate in Everyday Life

You may think that meditation is just a waste of time, that sitting or lying still and rushing around and doing something is a waste of your time. If you do sit or lie still so that you can practice meditation for the first time, you may find that your body is aching to get up and 'do' something, or you may even feel as though you should go to sleep. However meditation is good for both your mental an physical health and with a little practice can become part of your everyday life.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Comfortable place to sit
• Relaxing music

1. Often, in our daily life, we convince ourselves that we do not have enough time for inner quietness, that is to say, time or quietness to listen to the inner workings of our own bodies. Meditation is taking time to do that and it is important to make time to do it in your everyday life. Start by sitting or lying comfortably and listen. Listen--not to the ticking of your clock, or the sounds of the traffic outside, or the bird singing. Ignore the neighbor’s dog barking or the television set on the next room. Listen to the sound of your own breathing, of the beating of your own heart. When was the last time you listened to your body?
2. The heart is the body’s main muscle and it is always working towards a constant exchange of energy through your body. This energy is transported by breathing. But how often do you actually remember this? Often only when you are out of breath, have a sudden twinge, or fall ill. Through your body, you receive countless messages every second, each of which is passed to the brain. Most of the time your brain is very selective unless alerted. Overall, your brains ignore 90 percent of the messages they receive, as most of them are irrelevant at any given time. What you must learn to do is to stop and listen to your body when you are at ease, so you can familiarize yourself with its regular rhythm.
3. Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Concentrate on your breathing. Draw in air deeply and feel it fill your lungs. Hold onto it for a moment then slowly release it. This time, as you breathe in, feel the energy of your breath filling your body, reaching all the way to the outer edges of your skin. As you let your breath out, listen with the whole of your body. Next time you inhale and exhale, focus on your heart beat. Continue this exercise for two minutes. As you release your breath feel your tensions slipping away, as your breath in feel your body becoming re-energized. Listen to the inner workings of your body throughout.
4. Practicing this simple meditation exercise every day for just a few minutes will help you fit meditation into your everyday life and improve your health and help you become more aware of your body rhythms.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find yourself becoming too easily distracted and find it difficult to slow your mind, use a meditation or yoga CD. This time of ambient music will allow you to slow your body down, clear your mind and relax.
• If you can't seem to relax after the first few tries, don't be detered. Practice for a few minutes each day until you can gradually build up the length of time you are able to meditate.
• Don't worry if you fall asleep while meditating, as this is a sign that you are very relaxed.