Meditation Practices at Home
Meditation has many benefits for our health and well-being. Many of us find we our meditation practices in classes, workshops, or other such gatherings. With all of us spending more time in our own spaces at home we are faced with the challenge of finding new ways to practice meditation. While there is no “one size fits all” tip, here are a few you can try. It’s important that you be gentle with yourself and find a practice that is your own. Take the tips below and try them, adjust them, change them to fit your space and your practice.
Windchimes are often used in sound meditation sessions. Whether they are specifically tune or full of overtone sounds, they can be a helpful tool to support meditation. Sit or lay comfortably under or near your windchime and focus on the sound it makes, allow it to take you into your meditation. Chimes outside are wonderful when softly played by the wind. If you don’t have space outside you can attached your chime to a ceiling fan cord. The fan will play the chime well for you.
Birds are one of the best sound healers in nature. Open a window and sit comfortably by it. Of course you can sit outside if you have an accommodating space. Focus on taking deep breaths of the outside air. Let the air fill our lungs and the songs of the birds fill your heart. Focusing on the inward peace both bring will help you find your place of mediation.
Not all meditation is crossing your legs and letting out an “Ommmmm.” Play your favorite song while sitting on your patio or in your back yard. Mediation is all about letting your mind free itself from the constant thoughts and worries of our day. Think about how carefree you feel when your favorite song comes on. Your mind shifts into a clearer state. This certainly isn’t traditional meditation, but can provide some of the same benefits.
Find a coloring book. Studies have shown that brain patterns shift to a meditative state when people color. Allow yourself to get lost in in the picture, the colors, the strokes of your hand to imprint the color on the paper.
Water can be very meditative. Find sounds of rain or water running on places like You Tube. Put in your headphones and lie back. Let your mind become free from cluttering thoughts and the water will take you away to a beautiful state of meditation. Water washes away the old and makes room for the new.
Sing, hum, or chant. Feeling the vibration of your own voice is a very powerful way to relax and reset. Find a space that you can be comfortable to let your voice out. Volume is not the key. This can be done very softly, but enough that you are able to feel the gentle vibration in your body. We all have the best tools within our selves to heal.
Try tapping. Gently tapping different areas of the body can be very relaxing and even meditative. Hold your index, middle, and ring fingers close together like the number three. Place the index finger near the bottom of the collar bone towards the center of the chest. Start lightly and then find the right tapping pressure for you. This can be a great practice of meditation and a way to instantly release stress.
Of course, there’s an app for that. There are a number of wonderful mediation apps out there that can be added to your phone. Many are guided mediations that allow you to sit back and following the voice of the facilitator. Look for free apps to try out first and find one that works well for you. No monetary investment required.
Again, it’s important to keep in mind that mediation is a practice. That means it requires patience, practice, and time. As you journey through different ideas to find what works best for you be gentle with yourself. Keep in mind you may not feel a huge shift your first time trying a new practice. Small shifts are the beginnings to monumental changes.