Day 50 of #LiveWell2017
I had a big “ah-ha” moment this week when I felt myself getting a little stressed and fuzzy-minded over not completing tasks well. This morning it occurred to me that I have skipped my meditation time for a few days and have been less mindful in my tasks and movements. I was too focused on getting stuff done and let my work on my self slide. I’m still trying to find the balance.
Meditation is a path to mindfulness, and I’ve found that it helps me settle my mind and open space for me to be more generous and more creative. I don’t have to spend hours sitting in lotus position in a monastery to meditate. I just need to practice for a few minutes each day, consistently, to make a big difference in my life.
Sometimes it’s easy. I usually focus on breath and light. Other times there are distractions – noises and movement around me. I’m not very keen on the humming of “oohhmmm” during meditation (though it is a fine technique), so having some music in the background sometimes helps me to meditate. What kind of music is good for meditation? It depends on who you ask.
Here are some of my favorite meditation music resources:
- “Probably the Best Music for Relaxation and Meditation” by Binaural (on Amazon) – this is a 30-minute long atmospheric song. (free streaming)
- If you have a paid Pandora account (so you don’t get interrupted with ads every 3 songs), try the Atmospheric station or Japanese Sunrise station.
- Moby has released 4 hours of FREE music specifically for meditation and sleep. You can download it here.
Do you use music to meditate or relax? What is your favorite?
How do you make meditation a habit?
Endless Seeker 
After berating myself for many years for not meditating when every indication is that it’s a good thing….I finally came to the realization that running by myself is my form of meditation. While I love the camaraderie of my husband and my friends, there’s something that I get when I’m out by myself that’s profoundly different. And yes, I listen to music but sometimes I don’t even really hear it. I always come back more fully rested.
I was going to contact you to see if you had some suggestions for a “guided meditation” source. Self-care is something I like to include in all of my week-long training sessions for the counselors at work. Social services work is notoriously stressful…while I don’t think 15 minutes will make a dent, I like to give the message that self-care is important and the agency supports everyone taking time for it. Actions speak louder than words sometimes.
Thanks!
Leah
Hi Leah. I think running is a great way to meditate. Walking does the same for me when I’m alone. I agree that self-care is critically important to our well-being and it makes sense to add that to your training sessions. One of my favorite – and one of the easiest – guided meditation sources I have found is Headspace. Andy has a great voice and does some really simple 10-minute sessions. I used the first 10 free ones to get myself started on meditation several years ago. It’s an app, so you can take it with you anywhere.