Calm within the Chaos
6 tips for Starting a Sustainable Meditation Practice
If you've ever tried meditating, you've most likely realized that despite the calming effects, it's a challenging practice to sustain. But the value of being in control of your mind is amplified during these uncertain times and you are likely feeling the need for some inner calm. Perhaps now is your time to start and stick with a new meditation routine. Rules are changing daily, schedules flux faster than the wind changes direction, and your friends’ and family’s moods are zig zagging off the charts. Politicians are misleading, there is belligerent drama everywhere you look, and the media is inflating everything to the extent that you can no longer discern what is the truth! And you still have to work, you have to parent, you have to homeschool, you have to be a partner, you still need to be on more than ever before. Being able to control your internal response to all of these outside stimuli is a handy tool you need to not just stay afloat, but to truly flourish.
Being able to control your internal response to all of these outside stimuli is a handy tool you need to not just stay afloat, but to flourish.
You are probably feeling quite overwhelmed with the tightness of your daily schedule as it is. You’re short on sleep, your to-do list is a few sticky notes long, and you’re already behind on your New Year’s resolutions. Chances are your feeling pretty down about how busy you are, despite your best intentions to make this the year you really slowed down.
Take a big breath my friend, there is hope. A meditation practice will help you move towards the settled state of being you deeply long for. A meditation practice will also endow upon you the gift of slowing life to a pace you truly can savour. While it might feel like you don’t have the energy to add another task to your list, this is a task you can’t afford to skip.
As with any new routines, be gentle on yourself and anticipate feeling uncomfortable as you become accustomed to this new habit. Within a few weeks of regular practice, you won’t remember the frenzied existence you left behind. Here are 6 tips to starting and sticking with a meditation practice.
6 Tips for Starting a Sustainable Meditation Practice
1. Set an intention: Clarify why you want, or rather NEED, to meditate. Write a private letter to yourself describing what you hope to change or improve by maintaining a practice. If you hate writing, record a video or audio message for yourself on your phone. Some other ideas that might work for you are:
Write it on a sticky note beside your work space
Write it in your planner
Post it on the fridge
Write it on your home screen of your phone or computer
Come back to this intention regularly, especially when you find yourself wandering from your practice.
2. Make a physical space: Choose a location that makes sense for you.
If you are a busy mom with a demanding household this might be in your car after school drop-off
If you are a doctor with a busy private practice this might be in your office on your lunch break
If you are lucky to have more resources to play with, you can devote more time to collecting comfy pillows, art work and trinkets that soothe your mind
Ensure the location you choose is warm and comfortable. As a beginner meditator you may find yourself quite distracted by outside stimuli, but with time you will gain better control over your internal responses and be less impacted by that which is not within you. But to set yourself up for initial success, your goal is to minimize visual and auditory distractions to guarantee a peaceful experience.
3. Schedule it in: Be realistic when setting a schedule for the week. Determine your minimum goals before you start and always aim for less than you know you can do, this will fuel your new habit with the positive vibes of small successes. By committing to meditating, you are making a date with yourself. Saying yes to your mental health might mean saying no to events that threaten this sacred space.
How many times a week will you meditate?
How long will you meditate for each time?
At what time exactly will you mediate?
Starting new activities is always going to feel uncomfortable. Notice how you respond to this discomfort and accept those feelings, but resist the urge to resort back to your old habitual ways of being busy, busy, busy. Remember the intentions you set for yourself and that this is a promise to yourself that is worth keeping.
4. Be accountable: Keeping track of when you show up will help lay the foundation for a successful practice. Do you remember the little stars your piano teacher would put on your book when you had practised? Recreate that sense of achievement for yourself. If you have a friend that would like to start a practice as well, you could become meditation buddies and keep each other accountable with daily text messages. Some other suggestions are:
Record it in your planner
Check it off in your phone reminders
Post to social media
Check in with a friend or family member
Your personality traits will be reflected in how you choose to be accountable. Whether you are intrinsically or externally motivated, realize your accountability tactics will need to shift in time. If you grow tired of one system then shift to a different mode. It’s not essential to share your practice with others, but one benefit is that not only will it encourage you to keep sailing forward but you may also inspire others to follow your mindful lead.
5. Journal about the qualitative process: If you already keep a journal this will be an easy one to integrate into your life. If you’re not a fan of journaling then keep it simple! Write as little as one line a day keeping track of some seemingly unrelated aspects of your life. Again if writing is not your thing, technology is on your side here and you can record an audio or video message to yourself. Resist the urge to overwhelm yourself by keeping track of every detail and pick just one or two areas to focus your attention on. You could choose to keep notes on:
your stress levels
your outlook on life
your sleep quality
your blood pressure
your pain levels
your relationship with your significant other
Schedule one day each month to review your journal entries. Take notice of the positive impact meditating is having on your life, as this will reignite your desire to continue this peaceful and regulated practice.
6. Choose a meditation program: There are countless meditation programs to choose from and a variety of delivery modes. Start by deciding what type of meditation you would like to explore first, there will be lots of time to shift types later. This article on Healthline highlights nine types of meditation for you to consider:
· movement
· loving kindness
· mindful
· spiritual
· focused
· mantra
· transcendental
· progressive relaxation
· visualization
Once you choose a type of meditation to explore, then decide on your preferred mode of delivery. Would you like to be guided 1:1 in person, by reading directions from a book, listening to a track on itunes, clicking a link on a website, using an app, playing a cd in your car, or would you like to explore independently. Despite what some self-proclaimed gurus may preach, there is no right way to meditate. But, there is a right way for you and that is the way in which you actually meditate! The bounty of options might seem overwhelming but view this as a positive, it provides you with a variety of options should you grow bored of your first choice.
there is no right way to meditate…….. But, there is a right way for you and that is the way in which you actually meditate!
Until five years ago I had struggled with always wanting to meditate but never actually starting a practice. I was always on the go and could not sit still and focus for as little as five minutes. I always felt busy, overwhelmed and I was easily triggered by my partner and children. When I discovered movement meditation (via the Feldenkrais Method) it was a perfect match for my squirmy self. As an athlete and Kinesiologist it was logical that a meditation practice that combined functional movement patterns would be my ideal fit. Within a few weeks of regularly practising, I was noticeably less stressed, felt more in control of my emotions, slept better and could focus for longer periods of time. I made a commitment to make this a regular practice not only for myself, but for those that had to be around me! I spent years studying the ins and outs of movement meditation with various wonderful teachers and have created movementRX to share my favourite way of meditating with others. movementRX is an online library of functional movement meditations to optimize both mind and body.
While movement meditation might not be your jam, I highly recommend you sample a few different flavours of meditation to find your ideal match. Most programs offer free samples or trial periods. On movementRX, two free sessions are posted for you to sample. If you are happy with the samples you can try the first month for $10 less than the regular price of $25CAD. As a member you will gain access to dozens of pre-recorded movement meditations with new sessions being added biweekly. Regardless of what flavour of meditation you decide to explore, follow the 6 tips above for your best shot at sustaining a regular practice. Before you know it you will be the master of your inner calm and all your friends will be asking you for tips.
PS. Print and fill in this FREE guide to help you start a sustainable meditation practice!
