01-15-2009

6 simple tips to incorporate meditation into your daily life!

6 Simple Tips to Incorporate Meditation into your Life
(Without taking ANY time out of your current schedule)

When most people think of meditation they picture sitting in an uncomfortable position, eyes closed, with no distractions repeating some mantra they can’t even pronounce!

With this way of looking at meditation, it’s no wonder that many of us don’t want to meditate. The sad truth is that while most of us are aware that meditation is beneficial, very few of us actually have a regular meditation practice. Yet this article will show you what meditation really is and give you simple tips for incorporating it into your daily life without changing your current schedule.

So what is meditation? Meditation is about being fully present in the moment and in that moment you are “aware” of the truth of who you are (beyond your mind, your body or your situation).

Have you ever been in awe of a beautiful sunset so much so that you weren’t thinking about what happened five minutes ago or about what you were going to do in the future? And as you took in the majestic sunset, you noticed how you felt really alive inside. You felt pure bliss, joy or peace. And maybe even had a feeling like, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Well that is meditation!

We often make meditation much more complicated than it really is. Just remember that meditation is about being present in the moment. Therefore, any moment can be your meditation.

According to an international survey that I compiled (with results from people in 44 different countries) the biggest obstacle people face in incorporating meditation into their daily lives is: TIME. We don’t have enough time to meditate. (I originally thought this was an American dilemma but discovered that this is a common obstacle for most people around the world). We all have only 24 hours in a day and most of us lead busy lives filled with work, family and other obligations. Many of us barely have time to workout among the myriad of daily activities that need to get done.

Well don’t worry; here are six simple ways you can start incorporating meditation into your daily life right now without taking any time out of your current schedule.
TIP #1- Don’t Wait—Meditate ™

Start by converting your waiting time into meditating time.

The average person waits 42-60 minutes a day! Think about it—we wait on hold on the phone, we wait for computer programs to download, we wait for appointments and we wait in line at the bank or grocery store.
Yet, those precious moments spent waiting, could be converted to meditating time instead. So next time you’re waiting on hold on the phone, take a moment to notice your breath. Or, next time you’re waiting in line at the bank take a moment to smile from the inside. While you’re waiting for an appointment, notice the aliveness inside your body.

Recently, while waiting for a dentist’s appointment I allowed the aquarium in the waiting room to be my meditation. I sat there and noticed the vibrant colors and graceful movements of the fish.
So allow waiting time to be your meditating time. If we each did this one simple thing, we’d have a regular meditation practice.

And the other great benefit to converting waiting time into meditating time is that you find you don’t mind waiting. I enjoyed being 20 minutes early to my chiropractic appointment because I thought, “Great, I can get in a 20 minute meditation!”

“I think the Don’t Wait, Meditate™ pledge was one of the best things I have done for myself. It gives me such a pleasurable thing to do during normal “waiting” time that I actually look forward to going places where I will have wait time!”

-Amy Bush Bradley, business owner and parent of three

TIP #2- Pick a Daily Activity in which to incorporate your meditation
Another simple thing you can do is pick a daily activity where you can incorporate meditation. Below are some examples:

* brushing your teeth
* showering
* emptying the dishwasher
* walking
* eating
* folding the laundry

For example, when you brush your teeth in the morning take a few moments to notice your breath while you’re doing it. Or when you shower, pay attention to how the water feels moving across your face or head. When you empty the dishwasher notice the placement of each dish or feel the aliveness in your hands as you put each dish away.

And yes, you can even practice meditation while eating. A participant in one of our 21 day meditation circles decided to practice “meditation” during her daily breakfast. She paid attention to her breathing as she ate. She noticed the texture and taste of the food she put in her mouth.
TIP #3- Have your dog or cat be your meditation
The majority of the population owns a pet, yet we don’t realize that our dog or cat can be our meditation.
One time while meditating my cat Vinnie came up to me and started “meowing.” He wanted my attention. And rather than try to ignore him, I opened my eyes and started petting him. I noticed the feel of his fur while petting him. He became my meditation.

And if you have a dog, walking the dog can be your meditation. When you walk your dog have you noticed how your dog is just fully in the moment; taking in everything? Well you can do that as well! Next time you’re walking your dog “take in” your surroundings. Notice the colors and shapes of the trees, houses, etc. Feel your feet as they touch the concrete.

Our dogs and cats can also be great meditation timers if we allow them to be. Often while sitting at my computer throughout the day, Vinnie will come up and demand attention by meowing. I will stop what I am doing (if only for a moment) and sit on the floor with him and just be with him.
TIP #4- Have what you look at be your meditation
I call this a “visual meditation” when we allow things that we see with our physical senses to become our meditation. Take for example the sunset I mentioned earlier; that can be your meditation. Nature can be your meditation…the trees, flowers, rivers, plants, birds, other animals. When you look at objects, just notice their beauty.

I’ve even had looking at cars in a crowded parking lot be a meditation. Just notice the colors of the cars. Notice the sky, the pavement. Watching people in a crowded mall can even be your meditation. Look at the people around you without judging or labeling. Notice your breath or feel the aliveness inside your body.
TIP #5- Meditate while driving!
I’m sure you’ve heard meditation CD’s that say “Do NOT listen to while driving.” And of course, common sense should tell you that “yes you should not close your eyes while driving and picture yourself floating down a stream.”
However if meditation is about being present in the moment, you can do this while driving. Next time you’re driving, try feeling the aliveness in your hands as they touch the steering wheel. Or, take moments while driving to notice your breath.

You’ll also notice as you meditate while driving, you don’t get irate if someone cuts you off on the highway!

Tip # 6- Breathe through your belly throughout the day.
Most of us breathe shallowly through our chest. It’s important to learn to breathe through your belly.

As you inhale, feel your belly rise. As you exhale, feel your belly lower.

If you need to, picture a balloon in your belly and as you inhale picture the balloon inflating and as you exhale, picture the balloon deflating.

I take three nice deep belly breaths periodically throughout the day. If you’re feeling low on energy, take three belly breaths. If you start to feel stressed, take three deep belly breaths!

As you can see, anything can be your meditation. Your life can literally be a meditation. Those moments you spend throughout the day while waiting, doing a daily activity, driving or walking your dog will really make a difference in your life.

If you implement any one, or more, of these tips into your life right now, you’ll have a regular meditation practice and you will experience more joy, more peace and less stress in your life and your relationships.
Peace,

Lisa Hepner

P.S. If you’d like to receive personal, live meditation instruction from me for 21 days to help you develop the habit of meditation, our next meditation circle starts January 19th. We implement the tips above during the 21 day practice so that it becomes a way of Being!

To join the next circle go to: http://www.projectmeditate.com/january09.html

Don’t wait-Meditate™ is a trademark owned by Lisa Hepner

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06-17-2008

Visual Meditation

Most of you know that I am about having your life BE a meditation.  Meditation can involve anything.  As you look at trees or flowers in nature….meditate.  Look at the tree without labeling it or judging it.  Notice the aliveness in your own body as you look at the tree.  Be present with the tree.  You are meditating!

Another meditation I love when I can’t be out in nature is a DVD of sceneries in nature.  (I don’t get any affiliate commissions from recommending this DVD, I just recommend it because I have enjoyed having it be my meditation periodically).  I have a DVD of the world’s most beautiful places from a company called HDenvironments.com.  They have a series called “Living Landscapes.”  It shows beautiful scenery, plays wonderful background music and allows you to also hear the sounds of nature such as birds, the ocean, etc.

I sometimes like to put this in and just “meditate.”  As I watch the scenes and listen to the sounds, I am aware of the aliveness inside my own body.  It’s a great meditation.

As you can see, anything can BE a meditation.

Have fun with it!

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11-22-2007

Mantras

This is a 5:30 minute podcast on the use of mantras in meditation. It explores what a mantra is, and how they can be used in meditation. It also suggests a new mantra that can be used for a peaceful sleep.

 
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11-22-2007

Podcast 08-Another Meditation Technique :)

This is a wonderful, fun, simple technique to use in meditation.  It was taken from the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  She learned this simple technique from an Indonesian medicine man.  This is a great meditation to do out in public.

 
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Peace,

Lisa

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10-19-2007

Meditate while Driving

You may initially read this title and “freak out” which is what people often do when they hear this statement.  After all, we’ve all heard the disclaimers on the meditation CD’s that say do not listen to while driving.  Yes, obviously you don’t want to meditate with your eyes closed while driving.  Yet you can meditate while driving.

Whether you “freak out” when you read the title or not depends on how you view meditation.  IF you think meditation is about closing your eyes and relaxing, then of course you don’t want to do this while driving.  However, meditation is really about being fully in the moment and realizing the truth of who you are.  You can do this while you drive!

For example, when in traffic, I feel the aliveness in the area of my hands while I am touching the steering wheel.  That’s meditation.   Or I notice my breath as I’m driving.  I’m still very alert to what’s going on around me.  However, I’m aware internally as well.  People in the 21 day meditation circles have commented that they have meditated while driving and don’t get so stressed out in traffic.

I’d encourage you to make ANY daily activity a chance to meditate.  Pick one:  unloading the dishwasher, showering, driving, etc and start with that.  You can listen to some of the previous podcasts on the various techniques if you’d like.

Peace,

Lisa Hepner

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09-26-2007

Practical Applications of Meditation

I am always asked about the practical applications of meditation.

Of course, I could look up the statistics regarding the health benefits of meditation.  OR even site statistics about how meditation helps raise consciousness at a global level.  But most of us are aware of these benefits.  (Do a search under health benefits of meditation to find out how meditation reduces blood pressure and contributes to overall health, or read the book Permanent Peace by Dr. Oates to find out more about the Maharishi effect and other studies that demonstrate the positive effect of meditation around the globe).

I, however, like to answer this question from a personal perspective and tell people what meditation has done for me and the practical applications where meditation has come in handy for me.

Meditation used to calm yourself

Meditation can be used to calm yourself and get yourself back to center.  With meditation, you become less reactive and more responsive.  If you feel stress or worry, you can meditate and alleviate or significantly reduce the worry or stress.   Sometimes I can get fearful or worried about finances.  Yet with meditation, I have been able to live in the moment and not be fearful of the future.  I have also used meditation to calm myself down in family situations where someone is angry.  When I feel the anger rising up in me, I can focus on my breathing and reduce the anger inside.  Then I can respond to the situation appropriately.  Meditation has also helped me in the practice of forgiveness.  For example, on vacation recently a family member said a very mean comment and became filled with anger.  I was able to meditate after the event and forgive the family member instead of carrying around the resentment.

Meditation for healing

Meditation has been wonderful as a healing process.  If I feel a cold coming on, I have been able to meditate and bring my awareness inside my body and feel my Presence.   Since practicing this I have not had a major cold like I used to get often.  I have also used meditation to alleviate menstrual cramps.

Meditation to feel gratitude

Meditation has helped me be grateful of the present moment and all it has to offer….Meditation has helped me live with an attitude of gratitude.

Meditation to Sleep Peacefully

Meditation has helped me to sleep better.  If I can’t sleep at night, I do my meditation and find that I fall asleep peacefully and wake up refreshed.

Meditation helps you BE present in the moment

Meditation has dramatically changed the way I work.  I do things from a place of BEING.  Wheareas before, I would try to MAKE things happen.  Now I allow them to happen.  Roadblocks do not paralyze me anymore, like they used to.  I am able to move forward and do things in the moment and enjoy the process!  

Meditation helps you experience peace regardless of what is going on externally

Most of all meditation has helped me experience peace regardless of what is going on externally.  With meditation, I am no longer a victim to my circumstances.  I can look at them from a “It is what is is” perspective.  I’m not attached to results.   I still work toward my goals and dreams, but I am not attached to a specific outcome. Therefore I am able to “rebound” from ”disappointments” easier because my happiness is not dependent on a specific outcome.

Overall, meditation has dramatically changed my life in all areas.

It has been the single most important “practice” to help me live from that place of Presence.

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08-07-2007

Podcast 07-Don’t Wait–Meditate Pledge

This is a 3:30 minute podcast explaining the Don’t Wait-Meditate Pledge. If you haven’t already taken the pledge go to: http://www.meditationchallenge.com .

The Don’t Wait–Meditate pledge means that you commit to using moments you would normally spend waiting–meditating instead.

This is very powerful. Imagine if people from all around the globe commited to this process….

You can find “techniques” to use while you are waiting by listening to Podcasts 1-6.

 
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Peace,

Lisa Hepner

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08-07-2007

Pets are wonderful meditations

The goal of the Meditation Challenge, and especially the 21 day Meditation Circles, is to change the way we “think” about meditation.  Meditation isn’t about locking ourselves in a room with absolute peace and quiet, and sitting in an uncomfortable position with our eyes closed for a specified amount of time.  Who would want to meditate like this?

Meditation, we learn from the 21 day program, is a joyous activity of BEING in the moment.  It is about being fully present in the moment, and feeling that aliveness within.

With this definition, pets can be our meditations. 

Many people claim they don’t have time to meditate or that they do not have the ability to specify a specific time every day to devote to meditation.  If you are one of these people, I would invite you to have your pets BE your meditation.

For example, many times when I am sitting at my computer in my home/office, my cat Vinnie will come up to me and meow and want attention.  He is a wonderful meditation timer.  Now, I stop what I’m doing, if only for a minute or so, and sit on the floor with him and BE with him.  My petting of my cat becomes my meditation. 

Pets live fully in the moment, and you can join them in the NOW if you choose too!  So next time you think you don’t have time to meditate.  Sit down with your pet and BE with your pet.  Make that your meditation.  You will gain so much from it, and of course your pet will too!

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08-04-2007

Podcast 06-Beyond Technique

This is a podcast about moving beyond “techniques” in meditation.  It is 3:11 minutes.

Enjoy!

 
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Peace,
Lisa Hepner

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06-20-2007

Mindfulness in education

I came across this wonderful article about teaching school kids “mindfulness.”

Click HERE

Peace,
Lisa

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