Okay, admit it: Sometimes just the word meditate makes you anxious. One more thing for my to do list, I can't do it, it doesn't work, maybe when I have more time I will learn. Just the tension around the word defeats its blissful purpose.
That's why I spent the day with a meditation teacher who taught me how to get the benefits of meditation in minutes, while I wait, walk, cook or even clean. Forget about chanting on a mountain with the Dalai Lama!
Holistic nurse and meditation teacher Doreen Fishman, who has actually meditated with the Dalai Lama, shows me five ways to meditate in minutes.
1. Walking in a figure eight for 3-5 minutes can shift you into a more peaceful version of yourself. The figure eight balances both sides of your brain, and the sacred shape of infinity resonates with your subconscious mind to make you feel expansive, instead of under pressure.
I felt the change doing it barefoot in a park, but you can also do it in a parking lot waiting for a meeting.
2. Set an intention and the rest will follow: If you affirm "I am peaceful," a process begins in your body to start making you that way. Add in three deep breaths and you are sure to connect to the deeper part of yourself. I am putting breathe on my to do list now.
3. The Park Bench Meditation: Sit and gaze softly on something you like and breathe. Imagine sunlight filling you up. Simple but powerful. You can do this while you are watching your kid's little league practice. Even a few minutes of mindful breathing will help your evening go much smoother.
4. Stir the Sauce to Serenity: While you cook, instead of thinking of how much you have left to get done, focus, really focus, on what you are doing. Try making figure eights as you stir the pot of sauce and breathe. Have the intention to put love in your food and your whole family will benefit.
5. Clean to Get Calm: Again, it's all about intention. Don't get mad you have to do it -- instead, breathe and really feel your hands wipe the counter. Affirm you are releasing anything that doesn't serve you as you spray the counter top and wipe in a circular motion. The kitchen will be clean and so will your aura.
Meditation doesn't have to take a lot of time; the point is to use your time to be in the moment.
Most importantly, get creative and have fun with making the everyday divine. A few moments a day can help lower stress and make you feel a lot better.
Let me know your ideas by leaving a comment below.