Highly Meditated
Presence is about bringing our attention and focus to the current moment. Presence can be cultivated through practices such as yoga and meditation but it can also be thought of as a way of living.
Being present helps you to feel calmer & surprisingly quickly. Not only that but within 2-3 months you will have changed your brain! Meditation increases the folds in the surface of the brain, the part responsible for processing and regulating information from the outside world. It builds your capacity for self-regulation and resilience. While daily life for most of us does not involve combat, it’s worth considering the benefits.
Maybe ‘meditation’ sounds and feels a bit ‘woo woo’ to you?
If so, perhaps this will help - there was a study done with US marines who practised mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes a day. They were found to be calmer during and after combat training exercises and had quicker reaction times. MRI scans showed they also had less stress activity in the brain.
You don’t need to do 30 minutes of meditation, 3 or 5 minutes is a great place to start. If that’s too much try a body scan (see my website for a guided audio version). Or you could try a walking meditation, paying attention to the ground beneath you, the sounds, smells or the wind. A barefoot walk is especially meditative.
Tips for meditating:
Make sure you are sitting comfortably on the floor or in a chair.
Rest your hands on your knees or in your lap (palms facing up, fingers relaxed).
If you are sitting on the floor use a cushion or something to lift your hips above your knees (it helps avoid pins and needles).
Be kind to yourself, don’t be judgemental. Try not to think of the session as good or bad.
Be compassionate, don’t set the bar too high. Use a timer and start with just a few minutes.
Here are a few of guided meditations for you.
Mindful Breathing Meditation (7 mins)
Many meditations focus on the breath, the benefit of this is that you can then meditate wherever and whenever you like.
Loving-Kindness Meditation (6 mins)
This is a lovely meditation to do, allowing compassion and kindness to wash over you and then sending love and kindness out into the world. Could there be a more appropriate time for this?
Alleviating Stress Meditation (15 mins)
This guided meditation will help you to let go of stress, it will reconnect you with the power of the breath to activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Remember to take time for yourself.
“If you don’t have time to meditate for an hour everyday, you should meditate for two”
— Zen Proverb
