Many people do not realize how simple incorporating meditation into daily life can be.
Today, I will not get a chance to sit in my sacred space and meditate because I have a holiday party to go to straight after work. During this time of year it is often difficult to find quiet time because time is absorbed by family outings and gatherings, or swept up by the surge of holiday shopping deals. This holiday season, try to do some of the following things in order to be more mindful throughout everyday activities. This time of year we are reminded to be grateful for family, our health, and the endless awesome world that surrounds us. Even a quick, on the go meditation during daily activities can help ground you when all the world around you seems to be pulling you a bit too thin.
You can meditate while you are eating, drinking, walking, brushing your teeth, washing your hands…the list goes on. Meditation is about focusing fully on something of your choice. To often we put ourselves on autopilot during these simple daily activities. Instead of living in the moment, we become distracted by thoughts of what happened at work yesterday, who you need to contact today, what the plans are for this weekend, what Facebook has to share with you. So often, we go through our lives not paying attention to the here and now.
The other day I went out to lunch by myself. I do this every so often when I want to get away from my desk to eat my lunch and give my mind a break from the day. When I put my phome down while eating and looke around me, all the people who were sitting alone or even eating in groups, were on their phones. They were just unconsciously shoveling food into their mouths, chewing and putting another bite in their mouths before completely swallowing the bite they took prior. WE DO THIS ALL THE TIME. I do it too! We are on our phones or watching TV and we are more focused on the often-false media coming out of these electric boxes than we are the food that is sustaining our bodies. It’s just depressing.
For a change of pace, I encourage you to try living in the moment. Put the phone down, stop reading this blog after this paragraph and observe. Observe what the task at hand looks like. Look at the shapes, the curves, the colors. Do that for a minute. Then if you’re eating food, or drinking coffee or tea, observe the aromas that surround you. Then slowly take a bite. Taste the food, feel the food, chew it completely. Before taking the next bite, allow yourself to swallow completely and finish that bite before taking the next. Doing this allows you to be grounded in the moment. See all the things you have been missing. Don’t worry about it, but know that the future is so full of opportunities for you to taste your food!
This is relevant for any activity that you do. When you are brushing your teeth, feel the brush against your teeth and gums, removing the dirt and refreshing your mouth. Taste the toothpaste. Feel the temperature of the water you are using. Feel the strength in your hands.
If you are driving, feel the steering wheel in your hands, feel the immense power of the car that you are driving within your grasp.
Try not to be on autopilot this holiday season and instead see all the love, possibilities, and positive energy that is all around you.
The Grounding Place 