Meditation: How To Do It Right

Well, let me start by saying the word ‘DO’ is probably where the problem initiates. The whole concept and idea behind meditation is to be in a state of quiet relaxation and calmness within. HOW we get there seems to be the biggest dilemma for us; especially the overachievers, over workers, people pleasers, single parents, entrepreneurs, etc. We are a big group, and we all suffer from the same ‘doing’ syndrome. It is only natural that when we consider meditation, either having learned about how it can help us cope with stress, handle our family lives better, or just bring some BALANCE – we add it on to the ‘To Do’ list as another thing that we need to sort out and DO to fix our busy lives.

Doesn’t that just seem a bit ludicrous? Adding yet another thing to our plate only further serves to add to the overwhelm and feeds the stress further. And when we most likely don’t even get to do the meditation thing that we know we should do, we then feel guilty about it too – great, now we’re back to square one feeling like we’re just failing at this thing called life.

SEE ALSO: 9 Signs Of Full-Fledged Yoga Obsession

Change Your Perspective

What if we approached meditation not as something we need to DO, but as a state of mind and as a state of BEING? What this means is mediation doesn’t require all sorts of equipment and a focus on what we need to DO to get it right. Meditation simply requires us to do NOTHING and be totally cool with it.

Meditation is healing for the spirit, body and mind because it is meant as a sanctuary from doing. It is meant to be a place you can re-charge, re-connect, and re-establish what it is like to just BE without expectations on yourself. It’s not another ‘To Do’ that we can add to the list. It is an ERASER of that darn list.

So, here’s the kicker – when you figure out how to remain unoccupied, unbusy, unbothered, un-everything – then you will be meditating. Actually, you’ll be just ‘BEING’. The concept of ‘just being’ for us is so foreign, the idea of it alone freaks us out. I’m sure you’ve seen and heard that quote before: “We are human BEINGS, not human DOINGS.”

You’ve seen it, nodded your head in agreement and moved on. Now the next step is; you have to actually let it in and surrender to this idea. Which brings me to the next reason this is so hard for us – surrender. It feels like a weak, icky word that we want to do everything possible to avoid. Most of us, as survivors in this world, surrender is not a word or action that we have had the luxury to allow into our realities if we wanted to get past the next moment.

But, the truth of it is, surrender is the purest place we can exist. The pain in our lives is caused by our inner resistance to the way things are.

True Meditation

So, what IS true meditation then? The following are some ways that I have found can allow you to step into that place of ‘just awareness’ and being. Hopefully, these ideas can get you started and then you will find ways that work well for you once you start allowing yourself the space to fall into yourself and just BE.

1. Go for a walk in nature.
2. Buy a hammock, put hammock up, swing in the hammock.
3. Gardening – digging in dirt, growing things
4. Driving on an open highway.
5. Listening to music.
6. Watching bees.
7. Sitting on a floaty thing in the middle of a lake.
8. Sitting beside a river, lake, babbling brook, ANY water source.
9. Lying in bed after just waking up and looking out the window.
10. Sitting in a rocking chair and just rocking.

Those are just 10 of the thousands of ways you can just allow yourself to STOP and BE. May you find your way out of doing and into yourself. The healing that comes from just BEING in this world with no judgment is incredibly powerful. Get off the hamster wheel and gift yourself the nourishment and surrender that you were born into.

Who you are right now is enough, what you do is enough, where you are is enough. Let that in, and the breathing thing will just happen on its own as you truly feel the release and peace that comes will being fully present.

NAMASTE.