Mindfulness and Meditation
Of all the interventions we discuss in Brain Wash, mindfulness and meditation may be the hardest to reconcile with the modern daily routine. This is because we’re trained, from a young age, to constantly focus on solving the next problem, and that purposefully slowing down our minds is basically a waste of time. However, this mentality has created a loss of perspective and made it tremendously difficult to understand our own thoughts and actions. With distractions growing in number and intensity every day, it becomes increasingly important to implement mental safeguards like mindfulness and mediation into our routines. This is how we make a break from unconscious thinking and create the space to course correct our lives. We cover the essential strategies for incorporating mindfulness and meditation into each day in Brain Wash. In addition, here are three helpful ways to make mindfulness and meditation practice a part of your day.
Meditate on the move: We fully appreciate that the hectic nature of modern life can make it difficult to perform a traditional meditation practice. However, there are several ways to expand your possibilities for meditation. One easy way to increase your time meditating is to engage in walking meditation. This practice can be done anytime you’re walking around—simply focus on the act of walking, the feeling of taking each step, the sensations of lifting up your feet and the wind moving past your skin.
Bring mindfulness to your meals: It’s become status quo to eat our meals in front of the TV (hence TV dinners). While this can be an enjoyable way to watch a movie, we have to remember that humans are very bad at multitasking. For example, when we’re watching TV while we eat, we’re not paying attention to our food. Because we’re not focused on the meal, we are less likely to recognize when we’re full, and more likely to keep on eating (ever wonder how you’re able to eat a giant container of popcorn at the movies?) If you find yourself struggling with overeating, try taking a break from distraction while you eat, and just focus on the food. You might find you enjoy the meal more, and eat less!
Create a space: It’s clearly harder to remain focused on meditation when we’re being distracted. Creating a specific location for meditation can help get the body and mind ready for meditation, making it easier to drop into your routine. This doesn’t mean you need to build an elaborate altar. A framed photograph of something relaxing in a corner of a room that’s been cleared of distracting clutter can be all you need.
