In the beginning:
When I started my new workout routine this year (P90 series), yoga was a very big focus. In working out, it is recommended when working on a certain muscle group, to focus on that area, so that if you are doing exercise utilizing abs, or biceps, you are telling your brain and body to focus all of you energy there, to get better results.
I quickly realized that this was going to be difficult for me. When I wake up in the morning I am trying to workout, check my social media and email, jot down notes to myself, and drink my protein shake all at the same time! I noticed that I was not getting my best workout in, because I was not focusing on my workout; I was thinking about all the tasks I had to do that day.
Luckily at that time I ran across some literature about mindfulness which prompted me to start a free online course in mindfulness (found here) and to start reading, Wherever you go, there you are by Jon Kabat-Zinn (thanks to my neighbor lending me his copy).
I instantly was drawn to the online course due to its video of Anderson Cooper, going through a mindfulness retreat and sharing his findings of Zinn and his field of study. I also saw in the video that Google, teaches its employees about mindfulness, led by an in-house guru, affectionately known as “Jolly Good Fellow”; who’s main purpose is to inspire personal growth and development at the “behemoth of search engines”.
During the course I have learned to use four techniques to try and become more aware, including: Raisin Meditation, The Body Scan, The Sitting Meditation, and Meditative Yoga.
When I started my new workout routine this year (P90 series), yoga was a very big focus. In working out, it is recommended when working on a certain muscle group, to focus on that area, so that if you are doing exercise utilizing abs, or biceps, you are telling your brain and body to focus all of you energy there, to get better results.
I quickly realized that this was going to be difficult for me. When I wake up in the morning I am trying to workout, check my social media and email, jot down notes to myself, and drink my protein shake all at the same time! I noticed that I was not getting my best workout in, because I was not focusing on my workout; I was thinking about all the tasks I had to do that day.
Luckily at that time I ran across some literature about mindfulness which prompted me to start a free online course in mindfulness (found here) and to start reading, Wherever you go, there you are by Jon Kabat-Zinn (thanks to my neighbor lending me his copy).
I instantly was drawn to the online course due to its video of Anderson Cooper, going through a mindfulness retreat and sharing his findings of Zinn and his field of study. I also saw in the video that Google, teaches its employees about mindfulness, led by an in-house guru, affectionately known as “Jolly Good Fellow”; who’s main purpose is to inspire personal growth and development at the “behemoth of search engines”.
During the course I have learned to use four techniques to try and become more aware, including: Raisin Meditation, The Body Scan, The Sitting Meditation, and Meditative Yoga.
Raisin Meditation:
This exercise is kind of funny, but at the same time reminds me of wine tasting. Often times when eating we are doing something else at the same time: working, watching TV, reading the newspaper etc. but Jon Kabat-Zinn says that to truly be mindful, “When you’re eating; EAT!”. It sounds very simple, yet it is not easy. We are so used to multi-tasking that we are not even aware of what we are eating: the taste; the texture; the calories! There was an example in the course where a lady was watching TV and eating a bag of chips and didn’t even notice until she finished the bag. The next day she ate the same bag of chips with the TV off, and this time she took extra care in noticing, the flavor, the texture, the crunchiness etc. of the bag of chips, taking minutes to just eat one at a time. This is a modified version of the raisin meditation exercise, which teaches you with a golden raisin, like in wine tasting, to really savor the moment. It teaches its practitioners to be more mindful and aware of what they are eating. This is a great exercise for dieters, who often mindlessly eat. I have noticed that when I eat, without focusing on anything else I do notice the salt, the sugar, the fat, the texture etc. of my food, much more than I would while watching TV or doing something else. Definitely something to keep in mind to try and do when I remember!
This exercise is kind of funny, but at the same time reminds me of wine tasting. Often times when eating we are doing something else at the same time: working, watching TV, reading the newspaper etc. but Jon Kabat-Zinn says that to truly be mindful, “When you’re eating; EAT!”. It sounds very simple, yet it is not easy. We are so used to multi-tasking that we are not even aware of what we are eating: the taste; the texture; the calories! There was an example in the course where a lady was watching TV and eating a bag of chips and didn’t even notice until she finished the bag. The next day she ate the same bag of chips with the TV off, and this time she took extra care in noticing, the flavor, the texture, the crunchiness etc. of the bag of chips, taking minutes to just eat one at a time. This is a modified version of the raisin meditation exercise, which teaches you with a golden raisin, like in wine tasting, to really savor the moment. It teaches its practitioners to be more mindful and aware of what they are eating. This is a great exercise for dieters, who often mindlessly eat. I have noticed that when I eat, without focusing on anything else I do notice the salt, the sugar, the fat, the texture etc. of my food, much more than I would while watching TV or doing something else. Definitely something to keep in mind to try and do when I remember!
Body scan
The name basically tells you what you are going to do. In this exercise you focus on different parts of the body, while you focus on your breath. You do not actually visualize the parts of the body but rather just have a heightened sense of awareness of them. You start at the feet, and work your way up to the ankle, then the knee, all the way up slowly to the head and then back down the other side of the body until you end at your toes. You may notice that you realize things about your body you may have been ignoring. You may also become so relaxed that you fall asleep. That happened to me a few times. It is best to do this while you are still awake and not right before bed, as falling asleep is very easy to do.
The name basically tells you what you are going to do. In this exercise you focus on different parts of the body, while you focus on your breath. You do not actually visualize the parts of the body but rather just have a heightened sense of awareness of them. You start at the feet, and work your way up to the ankle, then the knee, all the way up slowly to the head and then back down the other side of the body until you end at your toes. You may notice that you realize things about your body you may have been ignoring. You may also become so relaxed that you fall asleep. That happened to me a few times. It is best to do this while you are still awake and not right before bed, as falling asleep is very easy to do.
Sitting Meditation:
Here is another exercise that the name says it all. But it is not as easy as one would think. You have to first learn how to sit. Then you have to get really comfortable. Then you have to focus on your breath. That is a recurring theme. I did this in a chair. I kept being interrupted by thoughts in my first sessions, which tend to happen. I learned that it is very difficult to quiet my brain. It is always going. This is most likely what leads to anxiety, and a host of other psychological issues. It is not a bad thing; in fact I believe this type of constant thinking can be harnessed! The point of this meditation is to learn to merely be a conduit for your thoughts, letting them pass through you instead of dwelling on them. You do not always have control of what thoughts you have, but you can have control over how much time you spend on them.
Here is another exercise that the name says it all. But it is not as easy as one would think. You have to first learn how to sit. Then you have to get really comfortable. Then you have to focus on your breath. That is a recurring theme. I did this in a chair. I kept being interrupted by thoughts in my first sessions, which tend to happen. I learned that it is very difficult to quiet my brain. It is always going. This is most likely what leads to anxiety, and a host of other psychological issues. It is not a bad thing; in fact I believe this type of constant thinking can be harnessed! The point of this meditation is to learn to merely be a conduit for your thoughts, letting them pass through you instead of dwelling on them. You do not always have control of what thoughts you have, but you can have control over how much time you spend on them.
Yoga Meditation:
This was the main reason I wanted to get into meditation. I used to take yoga classes at the gym (it was the only one I would go to), and I loved the very end, when we go into corpse pose (savasana), lying flat out on my back; a few people would fall asleep, and one would start to snore (It could have been me). It was the most relaxing time I can remember, but I stopped going to the gym for a while, thus I stopped yoga and with that, this meditation. In this type of restorative meditation, you also are focusing on your breath, and it is less about intense poses, and more on the meditative aspects.
This was the main reason I wanted to get into meditation. I used to take yoga classes at the gym (it was the only one I would go to), and I loved the very end, when we go into corpse pose (savasana), lying flat out on my back; a few people would fall asleep, and one would start to snore (It could have been me). It was the most relaxing time I can remember, but I stopped going to the gym for a while, thus I stopped yoga and with that, this meditation. In this type of restorative meditation, you also are focusing on your breath, and it is less about intense poses, and more on the meditative aspects.
Conclusion:
All of these can be done with guided meditations (narrated) which you can find an abundance of on YouTube. I highly recommend trying it, and learning more about it. There are a myriad of benefits, but for me, I have noticed in a few short weeks, less anxiety, better breathing, more mindful eating, more awareness of my body, easing myself through pain, and just overall enjoying life more. I am a life-long learner and always seize the opportunity to learn a new skill. Meditation is something you continue to practice, like learning an instrument, no matter how good you get, you can always get better. Please note that meditation and yoga do not have to be a part of any religion. You are free to practice simply because it is good for you, regardless of religious or non-religious affiliation, so don't let these preconceived notions deter you. Here’s to improving your mental and physical health. Your mind, body, soul and spirit thank you. Namaste!
All of these can be done with guided meditations (narrated) which you can find an abundance of on YouTube. I highly recommend trying it, and learning more about it. There are a myriad of benefits, but for me, I have noticed in a few short weeks, less anxiety, better breathing, more mindful eating, more awareness of my body, easing myself through pain, and just overall enjoying life more. I am a life-long learner and always seize the opportunity to learn a new skill. Meditation is something you continue to practice, like learning an instrument, no matter how good you get, you can always get better. Please note that meditation and yoga do not have to be a part of any religion. You are free to practice simply because it is good for you, regardless of religious or non-religious affiliation, so don't let these preconceived notions deter you. Here’s to improving your mental and physical health. Your mind, body, soul and spirit thank you. Namaste!