3-minute meditation: I meditate while being active
Where ?
Wherever you want: walking in the street or in a park, cooking, taking a shower, eating your meal or drinking your tea … The idea is to transform an act that you do without thinking in act carried out “in full consciousness”, always more beneficial, in terms of relaxation but also of sensations.
In practice
It’s just a matter of being fully present in what you’re doing, of focusing. Are you in the shower? Do not think about your schedule for the day or the shopping list, forget everything, and awaken your senses to the hot drops of water on your skin, to the scent and texture of the foam: make it a sensory experience, by putting your mind aside.
You peel vegetables ? Touch them, enjoy their touch, the smell that emerges when you cut them: like an attentive chef, think of nothing else and do things slowly, carefully, without letting your thoughts drift onto something else than your actions.
At the table, instead of devouring, make the meal a ritual : smell, watch, taste in small bites, use all your senses, appreciate the different flavors, textures and colors, let melt, let your taste buds be feasted, in a state of fullness but also of thanks for the one (or that) who has cooked (including if it’s you!).
Meditation from 5 to 15 minutes: I allow myself a break
Where ?
In a quiet corner of your home, which you can arrange (zafu-type cushion, candle or incense stick, flower or image that inspires you), or, even better, in the middle of nature, ideal for fully reconnecting with elements.
You can dim the light, put a light soft and peaceful musical background (sounds of nature, birdsong, gongs …) but nothing is required.
In practice
Sitting down, find your comfortable position. You can close your eyes (even incompletely) or keep them open, as you wish. Start by doing 3 full breaths and deep, abdominal, to relax the whole body. Then, without thought or particular objective, let yourself “go into your bubble”: empty yourself, be present to the sensations and thoughts that may arise, but let them slip away like clouds in the sky.
Breathe freely, without effort or constraint … and let yourself drift. You can, if you wish, immerse yourself in the contemplation of the spectacle that is offered to you (if you are outside) or of the image or object that you have chosen, which allows you to focus your attention to move your thoughts away. If one of them does arise, accept it (without feeling like you are in failure: it is difficult, especially at the beginning, not to be parasitized), then let it slip away … Do not have any specific objective, except that of being fully in touch with yourself.
To prepare for sleep (if you meditate in the evening), you can lie down and put your mind on each area of your body (this is called the body scan), to feel the tensions and soothe them through your mind: you can thus start from the feet to ‘to the head, one or more times.
Read also :
- Meditation: 5 misconceptions that keep us from getting started
- Meditation at home: 5 tips for getting started
- Infographic: the health benefits of meditation
- Meditate 10 minutes a day for a more efficient brain
