The benefits of meditation are far reaching and have been well known for hundreds and hundreds of years. However, the idea of formal meditation does not sit well with some of us.
Mental pictures of chanting and yogis puts some off, as unfair and wide of the mark as these and other stereotypes are. This is a real shame as meditation has so many benefits for us all.
Those benefits can include:
- Reduced stress
- Reduced feelings of anxiety
- More calm in our lives
- More relaxation
- A better understanding of what we truly think/feel/want
- A better understanding of who we really are
This little list is really just scratching the surface. Meditating is that powerful. So if the above description sounds like you and you are someone that shudders a little when the meditation word is mentioned then here are four ways to achieve some of the benefits anyway.
1) Walking
Walking is the ultimate reset. It blows out the mental cobwebs. It provides some new stimulus. It can often seem like complex problems we’ve been struggling with suddenly fall into place on a good, long walk. A fresh perspective can often drift into view.
2) Being at One with the Outdoors and Nature
Nature and the world outdoors presents us with a constant wonderland. It’s easy to take this for granted and not really take it in. Fix that by really spending some time just being at one with nature and the great outdoors and you’ll feel so much better for it.
Be amazed by that spider’s web glistening with the morning’s dew.
Look in awe at the clouds clearing over that mountain.
Be inspired by nature’s ability to evolve and deal with challenges.
3) Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness might be one of those words that makes some nervous. All it really means is taking the time to get in touch with our own thoughts. It’s just cutting out the external world and noise for a while and tuning into frequency us.
Turn off the phone, unplug from the internet.
Disconnect a little to reconnect with ourselves.
4) Just Being
Just sit/lie and be. Let your mind drift. Let your problems and concerns just float away for a while. This might take some practice but it’s worth investing the time.
All we’re doing with all of the above is resetting a little. The art of meditating without meditating if you like.
Give it a go. String these resets together on a regular basis and feel the benefits. Who knows, maybe you’ll even be open to further experiments in meditative practice after doing so. If not, just find your own way.
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