Do you have a favorite kind of breath work? There are lots of patterns that help to regulate, stimulate, and relax.
What I’ve noticed, though, is that left to my own devices I spend far more time taking in than letting out, so when I have a mindful moment of clarity, I don’t start with a deep inhale, I start with a deep exhale.
This summer I’ve finally re-explored the delights of meditating in nature. If you heard where I lived, in a downtown high-rise, you’d assume that wasn’t on the menu. I’m lucky because right across the street I have not only a park, but a sandy beach as well. I’ve explored my toes in the grass, in the dirt, and in the sand, and I love it all. Even in the middle of the city, the breeze and the birds and the sounds of waves add a rhythm that I can just sink in to. Highly recommend, weather permitting, and I think any little patch of the outdoors you can find might give you the same.
As attached as I might be to my little nest at home, one of the great things about having a regular meditation practice is that you can take it with you anywhere. Having travelled quite a lot in my life, it’s nice to have a practice that really doesn’t need any special surroundings or any special equipment.
I’ve meditated on airplanes, often during the time between takeoff and when they make that “10,000 feet clear” announcement. Clearly these days, there is plenty of reason to seek some internal peace if you find yourself in travel chaos. I’ve meditated in more hotel rooms than I can count. In fact, I’ve just finished a nice little sit in a hotel in Lexington, Kentucky.
Wherever I am, there I am.
As I write this, I’m having an amazing vacation on the Amalfi Coast. Feeling relaxed, good company, great vistas. There is a beautiful garden where I could sit quietly and keep up my practice Of course, there are also people to be with, naps to take, wandering to do. Who needs meditation at a time like this?
Based on my experience, it turns out I do. It has to do with the realization that meditation is a lot more like a vitamin than an epipen. It’s something to take day after day, even when you feel OK, to build you up for those times when something unexpected or something that could destabilize you arises. In other words, it’s not just for emergencies.
There are a lot of apps now for meditation. Some are really just timers, and some are fully narrated guides with directions about breathing and managing thoughts. They can be lovely journeys, and a good way to get started . . . maybe. My personal challenge, whether meditating or not, is to get quiet enough to hear my own voice amidst all of the other noise in the world. Now timing is another thing. I wish I could say I need a time so that I don’t meditate too long, but it’s really so I don’t have an excuse to keep checking the clock. Nothing fancy, just a nice pleasant alert tone from my phone or tablet so I can come back to myself with a little grace.