I have a confession: I don’t like to meditate. As a yoga teacher, this comment can stir up quite the conversation. Over the years, many of my own teachers and yogi friends have said to me, “If you don’t like it, that’s probably one of the reasons you need it.” Really? Let’s agree to disagree.
Don’t get me wrong; I do think meditation has amazing benefits. Numerous research studies have also suggested so. It’s just that for me, I think those benefits are more likely to come from activities that aren’t meditation in its traditional sense.
[See: 8 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Life.]
As Swami Rama wrote in Yoga International, “In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you.” And, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, mediation is “the act of giving your attention to only one thing, either as a religious activity or as a way of becoming calm and relaxed.”
From both of those descriptions, meditation translates to me as something that can relax my brain for a little bit and allow it to let go of any outside chatter. So what if I don’t want to take the traditional meditation seat to get there? Here are four rather unusual ways I think still get the job done:
1. Practice a Moving Meditation
I have always considered vinyasa-style yoga classes meditation. During the 60-minute flow, my mind is focused on my breath and proper alignment. I am not thinking about world politics, family matters or the next article I need to write. I think that any exercise that helps someone clear his or her mind — for example, running, rowing or cycling — could also do the job.
[See: The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life.]
2. Watch TV
I know that watching TV is not what the original yogis, or most yogis today, would consider meditating. However, in my full defense, the activity for me is definitely a way to quiet my brain. I am truly a die-hard Netflix watcher, and am not embarrassed to say so. While entrenched in my latest show obsession, I can sit for hours and stay completely still in the present moment.
3. Cook With a Cocktail
Something about my evening ritual of making a martini, shaken not stirred, is also meditative. As I sip from my glass in the kitchen while making dinner, I find myself letting go of the day’s events. Upcoming deadlines, endless emails and the pressure of social media postings start to dissipate from my mind. Just like in traditional mediation, thoughts may start to seep in (“Should I grab my phone and take a photo of my meal?”), but recognizing these thoughts, learning to let them go and returning to my peaceful mind is part of the process.
[See: 8 Ways to Stick to Your Meditation Routine.]
4. Disconnect From Technology
Why would I call this a form of meditation? Just like finding a comfortable seat and sitting for 10 minutes can be difficult for some, so can disconnecting from technology. I especially try to do this in situations when I find that my phone can be an easy distraction. For example, can I just sit at a doctor’s office and wait? Can I actually sit there with my own thoughts and not be entertained by my phone? Can I take a seat on the subway without constantly checking my phone for service?
Some might argue that calling any of these ideas a form of meditation is craziness, but I truly believe there is no one type of meditation. Maybe one day, I will meditate in the traditional sense. Maybe I won’t. What I do know is that in the meantime, I don’t want anyone telling me what works best for me.
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4 Ways to ‘Meditate’ Without Actually Meditating originally appeared on usnews.com