What began many centuries ago as a spiritual practice has taken a comfortable seated position in mainstream culture. When practised regularly, meditation can lead to some pretty amazing results both mentally and physically, as demonstrated by numerous scientific studies.
In particular, stress resilience and relief is a common byproduct of a daily meditation practice. Yet many of us still haven’t tapped into its benefits because, well, mediattion just isn’t your thing.
If you fall into this category let me tell you that it is possible to reap the stress-relieving benefits of meditation without the closed-eye and crossed-legged silence.
1. Journal
In guided meditation, sudents are often asked to empty their minds, allowing their thoughts to enter and exit without attachment. For some, this can be very calming; however, for others who prefer activity over passivity, this can prove very difficult.
Journaling mimics this process by allowing the journalist to empty their minds onto a page. As thoughts present themselves,the journalist can release them, this way also practicing non-attachment. In terms of stress relief, gratitude journaling can be particularly beneficial.
2. Spend Time in Nature
Those who regularly spend time in nature will often describe it as therapeutic or even meditative, so it is no surprise that the positive effects of communing with nature mirror those of meditation.
In a 2018 study, researchers found they could see lower depression, anxiety and stress scores in those with greater acces and exposure to nature.
So go out and take a walk in nature or even get some exercise done while you are there, hug a tree, why not ? Try grounding as it has miracle properties in healing our bodies. After all, if lack of time is the reason you don’t meditate, this is a great way to multitask your way to well-being.
3. Connect With Art
We invite children to explore their creativity through finger painting, paper-mache and everything in between, but for some reason, we don’t extend this invitation to ourselves.
Making art allows us to calm our brain by giving us space to notice color, texture and the sounds that different materials make. Allow yourself to spend some time making art, wheather that is along side your children or pick up an adult coloring book, you can find that at most big stores or book stores.
Observe yourselve as you breathing changes and your mind calms down. This process of pausing, creating and noticing is meditative.
4. Listen To Music
Think back to your teenage days when you couldn’t get home fast enough to bliss out to your favourite album. Little did you know you were actively engaging in a meditative-like practice.
In a 2015 study, reaserchers found that, among university students, listening to music for relaxation purposes was associated with reduced stress levels and lower cortisol concentrations.
Music has a positive effect on anxiety and depression while it may lead to small reductions in heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure.
5. Find Your Chill
By expanding your definition of meditation beyond the standard practices, you start to see how any practice, when approached with intention and consistency can be meditative.
The key then is to find your unique version of meditation, because, although we all experience stress, the ways in which we effectively manage it are completely up to us.
Scribble Anxiety Away
- 1. Grab a piece of paper – the bigger the better- and some drawing materials. Tape the paper down to a flat surface.
- 2. Choose a word that has been floating arround in your head and focus on it as you scribble on the page – slow, fast, hard, light. Do this for at least one minute.
- 3. Breathe.
- 4. If you feel like the word is still triggering you, crumple up the paper, then uncrumple it. Do it a few times. If you feel you need to do so, fold the paper, tear it, put it under water.
- 5. Breathe, and repeat with another word.
