While starting out, meditation can be very difficult to do. You could probably consult with articles online like this one, or even speak to a teacher or other practitioner. But when it comes to doing it, you’re on your own. And if you’re new to the concept of quieting your mind, the task is even more daunting. It takes a lot of time before you can actually benefit from meditation and by that time, most people give up and drop out.
Luckily, there are quick hacks which will help you ease into meditation. As the name suggests, these are hacks and don’t require a large time investment and are fairly easy to get started with. So without any further ado, here are quick hacks to ease you into the habit of meditation.
1. Focus on an object
While the most common visual of meditation is sitting cross legged, with closed eyes, an easy and effective meditation technique is being able to solely focus on an object. This can be anything, and all you need is a quite surround with no disturbances. Any posture of sitting works. Be as comfortable as you can, so you’re not thinking about it.
Say you choose a rose. Look at the flower. Observe the gaps between the petals. Observe how red (or whatever colour the rose is) it is. Look at patterns that are on the petals. Look at how the colour darkens closer to the core of the flower. Doing this for short periods of time has meditative effects on the brain.
2. Take a walk
It is said that walking is a form of meditation in motion. By taking a walk, and only doing that, your mind experiences quieting experiences similar to conventional meditation. It is important to note that you shouldn’t listen to music, or call a friend or walk in company. Just walk, focus on the steps that you take, and take in the natural beauty around you.
Here’s a useful guide to walking meditation
Source – http://www.eatthis.com/
3. Spend time with animals
It is said that consciously petting your dog or cat is known to improve your mood and make you feel better instantly. Being mindful of petting your pet animals releases good endorphins and serotonin in your body, which is essential to a healthy life and mental well being.
In case you don’t have a pet, even watching fish swim in an aquarium or a clear pond is known to have a meditative effect on your body and mind. Otherwise, there are always dog cafes and pet shops which can help you perform this form of meditation.
Source – http://www.doglib.com
4. Use a meditation app
In a fast paced life, it is difficult to dedicate time to find a yoga/meditation teacher and dedicate the time and presence classes deman. Lessons on demand and on the go has been one of mobility technology’s greatest achievements, and that’s where we get meditation apps.
There are a lot of meditation apps on app stores across platforms. These are essentially content repositories, instruction manuals and tools that will help you meditate. We recommend the HeadSpace app. Also, here’s a good list of meditation apps.
5. Count
Perhaps the easiest meditation method out there is to simply start counting. Find a quiet room, sit in a comfortable posture, and start counting. As you progress, you will see your mind begin to wander and you’ll find yourself constantly starting over.
Over time, you will notice that you’re able to count longer before losing track and in doing so, you’re becoming successful at quieting your mind. Once you’re comfortable with this, you can start trying out number patterns to increase complexity.
Know more meditation hacks? Let us know in the comments section.
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