Meditation techniques to calm the mind
My mind always had 100 tabs open in a browser- all video clips playing. The worrying, lists of things to do, and mental gibberish were draining. I did recognize that I had to discover actual meditation methods to relax the mind, yet the general recommendations did not have staying power.
With practice and a lot of trial and error, I was able to find a box of tricks that does work. It is no theory but what, at some point, rescued me out of my own incessant thoughts. I would like to show you some tricks that eventually brought me some silence.
Training your mind is not to empty it which is impossible. You need to discover this distance between your thoughts and calmness. These are my daily practices in order to go back to center.
My Underlying Breath Awareness Experience.
It is my anchor, the method that I fall back to on a daily basis. It does not need anything but a couple of minutes and your breath.
Find Your Spot: I sit erectly and in a quiet area in my home.
Tune In: I close my eyes and, just, I observe my natural breath. I don’t force it. I can sense the cold air going down my nostrils and warm air going out.
Label the Thoughts: Each time a thought occurs to you (it will), I would simply label it as thinking, and re-focus on the sensation on my breath. This open-minded recognition was a game changer with me.
This method develops the fundamental ability of mindfulness, the capability to be aware and not lose track.
The Instant Grounding Body Scan.
When my worry is very tangible it is a tight throat, jaw clenched, this method helps me get myself back into my body. It relaxes the mind by shifting the attention.
I start at the crown of my head. I read down, in bits, with my mind. I feel tension in my forehead and I do not even attempt to correct it. I pass to my eyes, cheeks, teeth, down through my neck and shoulders.
I take a breath into a tight spot when I get into one. I stay all the way to my toes. This intellectually emits the physical strain out of which mental anarchy is nurtured.
Loving-Kindness (Metta) to Soften Criticism of the Inner.
My worst opponent or critic has always been within my head. That negative self-talk is directly opposed by Metta meditation.
My phrases are repeated silently, first addressed to me:
“May I be safe. May I be healthy. May I be peaceful.”
Within few minutes, I visualize a dear person and wish the same to him/her: “May they stay safe… Then I want to extend it to an impartial individual, and, finally, even to a person whom I consider to be hard to communicate with. The practice rewired my natural state of mind toward criticism with compassion, which provides deep inner peace.
Walke in Name of the Hubristic Soul.
It is impossible sometimes not to sit. On such occasions, I am mindful in movement.
I seek a secret route, although it be my hall. I walk slowly, deliberately. I specialize in the symphony of sensations: the lift of my foot, the swing of my leg, the tender press of my heel back to the floor. Whenever my thoughts drift to a deadline or a trouble, I place myself back into the physical flow of the walking. This teaches me that calmness does not mean nothingness; calmness is a state of being.
Repeating Mantras to Tame the Mind.
A mantra provides my busy mind with a simpler task. I take a Sanskrit word, which is neutral, so Hum (meaning I am) however, you can take peace, calm or even one.
I sit and start chanting the word in silence and with each breath. So during the inbreathing, Hum during the outbreathing. The repetition forms a rhythmic focal point that drowns out the anarchic, panic-stricken thoughts. It is as though it were a gradual drum beat silencing sound.
Guided Calm visualization.
In this case I apply my imagination as a tool. I shut the door of my eyes and daydream about a place that makes me feel completely safe and relaxed, namely a particular deserted beach that I once went to.
I engage all my senses. I listen to the waves breaking and the waves falling. I can feel the hot sun touching my body and cool sand touching my feet. I smell the salt air. I observe the blue endless horizon. There I spend five minutes mentally resting. This is not escapism; it is a workout to the brain that causes the relaxation of the body.
Observing Practice on the Storm of Emotions.
I apply this sophisticated yet most effective method when a strong feeling such as anger or panic strikes. Rather than struggling against the feeling, I sink into it with curiosity.
I get myself a moment of silence, experience the emotion in my body and take a mental note of it. “Anger, anger.” “Anxiety, anxiety.” This is the cause of critical distance. It is not my anger; I am going through* anger. The feeling, thus viewed with such detached benignity, is apt to lose its energy and evaporate much more rapidy.
My Last word of Advice: Uniformity, not Accuracy.
I used to believe that I should have a 30-minute session to count. I was wrong. The fact that I turned up daily, even in five minutes, was what really changed my mind. The miracle lies in the sum of small repeated practice. Choose one method that appeals to you. Try it for one week. And your peaceful mind is there to be found.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Question: Your Short Questions, Answered.
Q: I am unable to meditate without thinking. Am I doing it wrong?
A: No! This is universal. It is not to stop thinking, but to be aware of your thoughts and just to call your mind back. Every rep is a rep that you are doing on your calm mind muscle.
Q: How long until I feel calmer?
A: The difference is perfectly experienced by many people and I am not an exception. Constant daily practice will bring about long-lasting change in your baseline anxiety, and sometimes in a matter of a few weeks.
Q: Which is the most efficient time of the day to meditate?
A: Mornings make me have a quiet theme of the whole day. However, the most appropriate is the time when you can actually dedicate to it even though that time is only five minutes at your desk after lunch.