How to meditate daily: 5 Meditation Techniques

 Many of us don’t have the time or energy for long, formal meditation sessions. Or, even if we have a regular meditation routine, we’d still like to incorporate meditation, and the wonderful feeling it evokes, throughout the whole day. This article discusses simple ways to use those small pockets of time during the day to help you stay focused, happy, and relaxed.

If you were to really analyze your day, chances are you’d find you have much more free time than you realize. There may be many times throughout the day where you have one to thirty minutes of “wasted” time that can be turned into opportunities for relaxation. Examine the following list to see if you can relate to any of these:

- Waiting in line for coffee in the morning - Sitting at your desk at work - Sitting in a long meeting - Waiting to be seated at a restaurant - Waiting for your food to arrive - Watching television - Walking anywhere for more than a few minutes - Waiting in line at the grocery store - Waiting for your flight to board - Waiting for your food to heat up in the microwave

This is just a small sampling of the time spent doing some mundane tasks. As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities during the day to make some positive changes in your life. The next question then must be, “What should I do during these times?” The answer: meditate!

You may be thinking that in order to meditate, you need to be sitting in a quiet place with your eyes closed, but this is not required. In fact, if you can meditate during these not so perfect times, just imagine how much better your regular meditations will be. Let’s take several general scenarios and see how we can incorporate variations of meditation into them.

-- Standing in Line --

One thing we spend a great deal of time doing is standing in line. Whether it’s standing in line for our favorite movie or standing in line at the post office, we waste a considerable amount of time standing there staring off into space. Typically, we get lost in thoughts about the past or future. We might think about all of the things we could be getting done if we weren’t in line. Long lines can also cause great frustration and anxiety. To make better use of that time, simply do the following quick, standing meditation:

With your eyes open, take in a deep breath through your nose, hold it for a second or two and then exhale deeply through your mouth. Repeat this three times and then continue to breathe normally. Now, begin to focus on your breathing. Notice how with each breath, you become more and more relaxed. Just imagine yourself getting more relaxed with each breath. When a thought comes into your mind, acknowledge it, and return your focus to your breathing. Do this for as long as you are comfortable. You can end the meditation with three more deep breaths.

This is a great meditation to use to help your relax and to pass the time. There are many variations of this meditation. For example, you could choose an object in the room and focus on that throughout the duration of your meditation. Or, just let your focus move from one object to the next. The key is to be constantly aware of what’s going on around and/or within you at each particular moment.

-- Sitting at your Desk –

Many of us feel a great deal of stress at work, and often spend most, if not all, of the day sitting behind a desk. This can be quite exhausting for the body and mind. It is recommended that you take frequent short breaks, even if only for a minute or two at a time. One perfect thing to do during these times is, of course, meditation. Try this one to completely relax your body and mind:

With your eyes open or closed, take in a deep breath through your nose, making sure your stomach rises as you inhale. Hold it for a second or two and then exhale deeply through your mouth. Repeat this three times. Continue to breathe normally. Now, focus your attention on your feet. Notice any pressure on your feet and ankles. Pay close attention to all of the feelings in your feet and ankles. Then, move your focus up to your knees. Focus all of your attention on your knees. Continue moving your focus up to your stomach. Think about your stomach for a moment. Are you hungry? Are you full? Move your focus to your back. Do you feel any tension in your back? Continue to move your focus up to your shoulders. Now, focus on your neck, continuing to breathe normally. Focus all of your attention on your head now. Take a few moments to focus on each area of your head, from your chin to the top of your head. Simply allow your entire body to relax now. Imagine a wave of relaxation going through your body, releasing any stress and tension. Now take in another deep breath through your nose, hold it for a couple of seconds and then exhale through your mouth. You may now continue again from your feet or end the meditation.

This is great for reducing stress and alleviating tension. You can do this during meetings too. It will feel like one of the shortest, happiest meetings you’ve ever attended.

-- Watching Television --

As a nation, we spend a lot of time in front of the television. Believe it or not, the good news is that we are constantly bombarded by television commercials. As you’ve probably guessed, commercials give us the perfect amount of time to squeeze in a quick meditation session. All you need to do is put the TV on mute, close your eyes, take three deep breaths, and just focus on your breathing for 1-3 minutes, or until your show starts up again. It’s that easy. As always, when thoughts enter your mind, just notice them and return your focus to your breathing.

-- Walking Anywhere --

Whether you’re walking to work, to class, or to a meeting, this is a meditation you can use to get focused. Simply take three, slow, deep breaths and then begin to focus on each step as you walk. Focus all of your attention on the feelings in your feet, toes, ankles, and legs as you take each step. I wouldn’t recommend looking down at your feet while you do this. As thoughts begin to enter your head, refocus your attention on your feet and the walking process. Do this for as long as you are comfortable. Please be careful with this meditation, so you do not end up walking into a phone pole or onto a busy intersection.

If this seems too rigid, there is an even simpler approach. As you’re walking, simply become aware of your surroundings and let go of all thoughts of the past or future. Focus your attention on the things that you are experiencing in the present moment. For example, listen to the sounds around you like leaves, wind, or others walking nearby. Notice any sensations of smell and the feel of the ground beneath your feet. Every time a thought about the past or future comes into your mind, simply find an object in the present moment to focus on instead.

-- Common Theme --

As you may have noticed, one of the common elements of all these meditations is breathing. By breathing, I am referring specifically to deep breathing by making the stomach rise on the inhale. This method gets a great deal of much needed oxygen into your body and has a tremendous relaxing and healing effect. As often as you can, throughout the day, take 15 seconds and take a couple of deep breaths. You’ll find that it will put you into a peaceful state of mind, allowing you to maximize your day.

You should now be prepared to maximize your day by infusing more short, but more frequent, meditation sessions into your routine. By doing this, you will undoubtedly notice an increased sense of peacefulness and joy in every moment.

By Ali Sharifi, found at Sagewithin.com

The Here and Now Meditation: A Quick And Effective Way To Overcome Suffering (Hardcover)