10 Steps to successful meditation practice.
Growing up I had 2 different personalities.
The good guy and the wild one.
The good guy followed instructions, adhered to the rules, and met expectations.
The wild one would do what he wanted. He would cause problems. He would offend people.
Over the years I have found a balance.
I’m still working on it, and the process is something I have come to enjoy.
My biggest lesson?
Emotions can determine how I behave and the actions I take.
So, the extent to which I am able to manage them determines my success.
There are many reasons why the most successful people in the world swear by meditation.
There is scientifically proven evidence showing it can reduce stress, improve focus, and even disease.
The three areas meditation has helped me over the years are:
Managing my emotions and enhancing my ability to communicate
Drastically improving inspiration, intuition, and creativity
Experiencing gratitude & connection with something bigger than myself
Meditation is one of those practices where the more you try to ‘do it right’, the more friction you will feel.
A while back I was struggling with my practice.
I was in an all-or-nothing mindset.
I heard from many meditation veterans that 30 minutes is the length it takes to receive powerful effects.
As a result, I wouldn’t meditate for anything less if I didn’t have the time.
The best advice I ever got was that consistency was far more important.
I have found this to be true.
In the beginning, I at times felt like I was just sitting there.
Over time I could feel the benefits right away.
If I miss a couple of days now I notice my ability to clear my mind is more challenging.
For the most part, I don’t miss days anymore.
Meditation and mindfulness aren’t clock-in and clock-out activities.
They both let you fully experience any moment.
The gift of life.
The point is to incorporate it into life so you can reap the benefits.
Meditation tends to be more focused. Usually, the point is to train the mind either to become calmer, gain clarity, or some sort of inner peace. You can focus attention on your breath, a mantra, or visualization.
Mindfulness is becoming aware of what you are doing. Being fully present and engaged in the present, without judgment or attachment. It involves paying deliberate attention to one's thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise. Also accepting them without getting caught up in them.
What are some examples of either?
Checking into your breath after a stressful day on the subway
Stepping into the bathroom to take a moment if you become overwhelmed at a party
Walking on your own on a trail connecting with nature and your emotions
Transcending the pain of a cold plunge
Being improvisational on the piano
What they both have in common is that you are doing one thing at a time.
I had to take a break while writing this.
During that break, I listened to a song that got me excited and made me anxious.
At times I use that energy to help me, like when working out.
But when I am trying to focus and write, it’s counterproductive.
If I hadn’t I may have wanted to increase that excitement with another song.
So, I took a moment.
I closed my eyes and recognized how I felt.
I took a moment to be mindful of my breath and slowed things down.
This is a perfect example of emotion not dictating my next action.
I used my intuition, which redirected me and as a result, was more creative by getting back into writing.
This intuition is an example of a connection to something greater than myself. It helps me feel a sense of purpose and direction.
I am so grateful for it.
It is like any other relationship. It takes consistency to maintain and grow.
Let’s get into the steps. Remember to pick and choose from the following, whatever works best for you;
Mindset
Find and remember your why. Do some writing and research to determine the reason you want to have a meditation practice. In the beginning, meditation is slightly uncomfortable. Having a why helps with the rest of the steps below.
Choose your time of day.
For this, you may want to consider your circadian rhythm. I like to practice first thing. It reinforces how important it is to me and is how I get the most benefit. It helps me in planning my day, reduce my stress, and prime myself for the greatest performance and success.
Environment
This is simple. Get any props or aids that will help. Eg.reading materials, journal, candle, diffuser, or quiet noise assistant you like. Set a soothing atmosphere for yourself. I like to read short daily spiritual texts before, have my journal handy, wear noise-canceling headphones and listen to the sound of water. You can use apps but remember the whole point is to disconnect…
Comfortable clothing
Pretty self-explanatory, plus…leisure wear is trendy now.
Journal before
This is a great opportunity to write about anything bothering you, like where your stress is at. Or, write about something you need clarity on. Meditation can provide you with powerful insights that may surprise you.
Positioning
For this, you may choose to sit with crossed legs or in a seat, or you can opt to lie down. If you are going to be practicing mindfulness you can do almost any activity. You could walk, run, swim, practice yoga, or create art. This is a great way to warm up to meditation.
Determine which type of meditation
There are so many types of meditation, but here are my favorites;
Breathwork - training the mind to develop focused attention by observing the breath & sensations that come up.
Mindfulness meditation - for non-reactive awareness and helping develop mindfulness in daily life.
Loving-Kindness Meditation - involves generating feelings of love, and compassion towards oneself and others.
Transcendental Meditation - repeat a mantra, aiming to transcend and experience a state of deep stillness and transcendence.
Zen Meditation - being present without trying to meet any particular state.
Walking Meditation - paying attention to the sensations of each step, movement, and the surrounding environment.
Yoga Nidre - promotes physical relaxation, deep healing, emotional processing, and accessing the subconscious mind.
I like to combine a few types of meditation for my meditation practice. I practice contemplation meditation, which introduces guided contemplation. Sign up here to join me every Friday at 12ET. This is what I will go over in the next step and a sample of how meditation can go.
Meditate
The most vital goal? Clear your mind. The easiest way to do this is by focusing on your breath. In my contemplation meditation, we start with breath awareness and a body scan. We check in to how we feel and release tension in each area of the body. After achieving a state of relaxation, I pose simple open-ended questions to the group. These center around a single theme such as vision & goals or principles & values. The questions are to inspire reflection and help us all grow. You may gain clarity. Or you may come up with important realizations and actions you can take to progress in your life.
Post meditation
After meditation, there are many actions you can take to reap the benefits. You may want to journal about what you learned. Or write about ideas that came from your practice, set intentions, or plan/review your day. It is also fantastic if you can stay in a similar energy and incorporate it into your day. Imagine the gift of more silence, gratitude, and mindfulness in your next activities.
Incorporate meditation and mindfulness into your life.
This is the most important step. The most important thing is consistency. Habit formation is simple but not easy. Here is a summary of my favorite book about habits. You also want to have accountability. Here is an article on how to form an accountability partnership.
Remember…practice makes imperfect.
This is the most beautiful aspect of meditation.
Finally, something productive in life where there is no goal.
In fact, when you strive too much to improve, you may find the opposite happening.
Meditation is Medication.
If you develop your own tailored meditation practice, it will change your life.
I have had the privilege of helping people implement this into their lives.
Every time they have had powerful changes and impacts that they are grateful for.
If you want any help, please feel free to book a time in my calendar.
Cultivate a practice that you enjoy.
Love and peace,
Ari