How to Do Active Meditation

Not everyone can sit still for the more traditional forms of meditation, which is why active meditation can be a great alternative or variation. It promotes a greater sense of awareness, centeredness and relaxation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Leotards
• Homeschool Publications
• Internet Access
• Library Cards
• Personal Organizers
• Computers
• Exercise Gear And Equipment
• Athletic Gear
• Exercise Mats
• Postpartum Yoga Video
• Yoga Video

1. Any activity, from walking to swimming, can be a form of active meditation as long as you make a conscious effort to involve your mind, body and spirit.

2. Decide in your mind that you are going to participate in active meditation, and determine for how long.

3. Begin by focusing on the present. Acknowledge any thoughts of the future or past and allow them to pass.

4. Be aware of your actions. Whether you're walking, eating, dancing or sitting, marvel at every aspect of what you're doing.

5. Experience how your feet feel as they touch the ground. Appreciate your body as you move, noticing your arms as they sway, your legs as they extend, your shoulders as they relax.

6. Notice the intricate details of your surroundings - the smells, the vibrant colors, the sounds, the textures.

7. Feel your rib cage and belly expanding and contracting as you breathe.

8. Imagine what the activity would be like for a child or for someone who had never experienced it before.

9. Decide when the active meditation is over. It can end either at the completion of your activity or simply when you decide it's over.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many forms and variations of meditation. Choose one that feels right for you.
• Begin with 10 to 15 minutes of active meditation each day, and gradually increase the frequency and length of time, if possible.
• If you lose your focus during meditation, simply refocus your thoughts and praise yourself for being present in the moment.
• There is no right or wrong way to meditate.
• Stay aware of your surroundings, particularly on busy city streets. Don't allow your meditation to compromise your alertness and safety.

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[staysik]

on 2/18/2009 Active meditation is great for people who have a difficult time sitting still. Great article!

[robblack99]

on 1/21/2009 Very good advice!

on 11/22/2005 All great journeys require preparation. The first five steps do not have to be practiced prior to the latter eight, but they help pave a smoother path.

Preparatory:

1. Detoxify your body. Stop taking mind-altering medications (this may be a lengthy process, as it was for me).

2. Eat well. The brain needs plenty of glucose, and the most efficient way to supply it is through potatoes.

3. Drink lots of water.

4. Take a multi-vitamin daily.

5. Exercise daily for thirty to sixty minutes. Do ten to twenty minutes of each of the following: Walking (or some other light-impact aerobic exercise), stretching, and strength training.

The real work:

1. Pay attention to everything that you do with all of your five senses.

2. Stay in the moment. At first, this is difficult, but it can be accomplished with perseverance. You may need to start by simply recognizing that you were feeling guilty about the past or worried about a potential future event. As soon as you realize that you were not in the moment, you are back in the moment.

3. If all else fails to keep you in the moment, concentrate on your breathing.

4. Know that you are a child of the universe and that all beings are connected. Every action you take, no matter how small, has consequences - for you and for others.

5. Recognize your emotions for what they are. They are a subjective experience that is produced through millenia of evolutionary changes, for the purpose of indicating something to YOU. Although your feelings may seem like they are overwhelming, they are there to teach you something about yourself and about your place in this world.

6. Know that as a child of the universe, you were put here to do something. This means that you have a purpose. You can usually identify your purpose by recognizing what you are truly passionate about. What I mean by the object of your passion is the one thing that makes you feel more alive than you do at any other time. (No, this is never another human being.)

7. Every morning, set an intention - even if it is just "I will be feeling serene and peaceful by the time I go to sleep tonight."

8. At least once a day, stop and acknowledge something you are grateful for. As you acknowledge this gratitude, allow the feeling to course through you. Stay with the feeling a moment, and then continue your day.

May serenity be yours.

on 11/22/2005 Let your mind do the work while you're doing the activity. Block out whatever it is but do it in a concentrative motion. Do not stop to think about it or you might get off track.