Meditation 101: For When Your Brain Doesn’t Stop Talking
I have been practicing Yoga and Meditation since 1995. Over the years many people have told me that they can’t meditate because they can’t quiet their mind. I will share a little secret with you: the Brain almost never shuts up. It doesn’t matter how much yoga or meditation you practice, there will always be chatter in your mind.
But wait! Don’t give up! The point of meditation is NOT to quiet the mind. Read that again. The point of meditation is to release your attachment to what is happening in the mind. Your mind is always going, a constant inner monologue through the day. Meditation is a practice that helps you lose your reactivity to the mental activity, and instead allow whatever is there to be there. Thoughts, sounds, and sensations will come and go; meditation creates space inside your mind teaching you to tolerate whatever arises.
When you learn this skill, you will also be able to release your attachment to other nonsense in your life: the comment of a judgmental person, traffic that’s slowing you down, etc. It all becomes less annoying and stress inducing.
Why should you meditate?
Research shows that meditation offers mental, emotional, and physical health benefits (a quick Google search brings up many pages of articles). Health benefits include:
- Reduced anxiety, stress, and depression
- Lower blood pressure
- Better sleep
- Improved memory and focus
- Less pain
- Improved self-love and acceptance
- And more
The good news is you don’t need to meditate for an hour a day to feel benefits. Only 3 minutes of meditation changes your brain chemistry for the better. Regular meditation has the most health benefits, but even a short meditation practice once or twice a week will positively affect how you feel overall. Start small, maybe set a timer for 3-5 minutes to start. The most lasting changes are gradual, so just start with one sitting and see how you feel.
A simple meditation practice for when your brain won’t stop
The simplest form of meditation is observing your breath. It doesn’t require any equipment and you can do it anywhere.
Start in a comfortable position, either seated or lying down. If you choose to lie down, ask yourself if you might fall asleep in that position, and if you answer yes, then choose a seated position. Sit comfortably with your spine upright and your hips and shoulders relaxed. If you feel strain in your hips or back when sitting, try to sit with your hips higher than your knees (maybe use a chair or sit on a cushion, yoga block, or rolled-up towel). Let your knees be supported, rather than hanging in the air. You want your body to be comfortable so that it doesn’t add to your distractions.
Once you are comfortable, close your eyes. Take 3 deep, slow breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Feel your neck, jaw, and shoulders relaxing and dropping with each exhale. After your third breath, return to normal breathing. Notice your inhale and your exhale. Notice your mind wanting to discuss what’s happening. Try to notice your breath without words. Allow your breath to flow without your control. Notice your body breathing for your. Ride the wave of your breath.
When your mind wanders (and it will), come back to the breath and begin again. Let go of judgment and criticism and just start again. Hold a loving, caring, and kind feeling toward yourself as you go through this process. Notice how that feels. Be present, notice the thoughts like you notice the breath. Be patient, gentle, and kind with your self-talk, and allow the talk to move to the background of your consciousness. Allow the breath to be your main focus.
Over time, with practice, you will find more space between your thoughts.
Eventually you will notice your thoughts but won’t attach your mind to them. Instead of getting caught up in the swirl of thoughts, you will be able to let your thoughts flow like water down a river, while you sit peacefully on the water’s edge. You might even be able to sit in the water, letting the river of thoughts flow all around you while you remain still and dry in the center.
Finding peace amidst the chaos is one possible result of practicing meditation, but even if you don’t feel that way, you still benefit from sitting and practicing. It’s a practice, not a perfect. The practice is what matters, not the result. Do the best that you can. With practice, it gets easier and more comfortable. That is enough.
Guided practice
If you’d like support with your mediation practice, here are a couple of options:
Meditation in March begins March 1. This online month-long program offers 10 minute guided meditation practices three times per week, plus daily journal prompts to help you find that quiet place inside while processing the thoughts and emotions that can arise. A regular mediation practice creates more calm amidst the storm your life, and journaling allows you to feel the feelings that you might keep stuffed inside. Click here for more information on this program. Sign up and you’ll get lifetime access!
Movement and Meditation is an online class every Monday at 8am EST, that is also available anytime on demand. 20 minutes of gentle yoga movement to wake up the body and release the stiffness. Then 20 minutes of both guided and silent meditation to put your body and mind at ease. Purple Room Yoga students say that this class is the best way to start the week! Click here to sign up or here for the On Demand Video Library!
A short 6 minute guided meditation on Purple Room Yoga’s YouTube channel. Watch anytime you like! Click here to watch.
