Have you wondered how to meditate but found yourself constantly distracted? My hand is up. I’ve heard of many transformative benefits of meditation and it has been a skill I have wanted to master for a while now.
The problem is, every time I start my meditation practice, I get distracted. My phone, my thoughts, the kitchen, the kids, the doorbell or pull of the next episode of Bridgerton – there is too much that occupies my mind.
I’ve been determined to make it work and I have found one way that actually did. Here’s what I did that worked.
Getting the Basics of Meditation Right
Why on earth would you meditate? Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind to achieve a state of calmness, clarity, and heightened awareness. Influential figures like Naval Ravikant swear by it, meditating for hours each week, balancing their busy lives and accomplishments.
Intrigued by the potential of meditating, I picked up ‘Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself’ by Dr. Joe Dispenza (ad). This book made me realise that the power to change is within me. Essentially, if I’m not getting what I want or plan in life, I need to change some fundamental things about myself, my personality and my relationship with Time, Body and Environment.
Meditation is not just about calming your mind; it is about calming your body to bring awareness to the present, and then turning inwards.
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How to Meditate for the First Time
As per Dr Dispenza, there are some externalities that need to be order to ensure success.
The Place for Meditation
The physical space has to be right. I chose the sitting room, which is a small-ish room with a window that opens to the back of the house. I was alone so didn’t expect to be disturbed.
The meditation space needs to be a space which your brain does not directly associate with another key activity in your life, such as your bed (meant for sleeping), a dining chair (meant for eating) or your office chair.
He suggests doing it either in the morning or late at night – I chose a bright morning.
I sat on a chaise and soon found myself lying back, covered by a blanket as it was a cold morning. I took off my glasses and rested my hands by my side, the tips touching air. Similar to Shivasana in my yoga practice, only propped up by some cushions under my back.
My eyes closed.
The Meditation Experience
It felt awkward at the beginning. I was conscious of my surroundings.
I started thinking about work. And all the writing I still had to do. The emails I had to read. Some tax papers I had to organise.
I was going to grill chicken for dinner.
Was my daughter on the phone?
I opened my eyes, thinking this was clearly not working.
I then started to follow some tips suggested by the author for the Induction process.
Following the Meditation Process
I recall the author saying to focus on your body parts, again very similar to the yoga practice of shivasana. I started with my scalp.
I don’t know when the random thoughts firing in my brain slowed down. It might have been between when my focus travelled between my eyes and my chin.
Soon I felt a heaviness or a puffiness around my body. I could feel my mind taking over. I recall the author mentioning a teardrop around your body, and that is exactly what the shape felt like. To be more specific, it felt like a sleeping bag that is zipping up. As my mind started enveloping my body.
The zipper progressed, and the last bit of it enclosing my legs was a bit of a struggle. But soon I felt the zipper closing around my legs, wrapping me up completely.
That is when I a panic kicked in. But it was a familiar panic.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with a jerk and felt unable to move any part of your body? Your brain is there and you’re somewhat awake but not completely? And the feeling is of panic?
It felt very similar to that but this time, I decided to give in to it. I was consciously within my own body – what could be so scary?
The panicking subsided. And it just felt like I was in another space within my own body. Or brain. I think the book might be referring to the alpha waves at this stage.
My Thoughts During the Meditation
I am not sure if thoughts is the right word to be using for this stage of the meditating. It was sensory and there were key words that stood out, but no sentences. There was a bright light behind my eyelids and my brain was using it to the best advantage. The words I recall:
I am. Light.
I am. Light.
I am. Happy.
I am. Happy.
I am. Compassion.
I am. Compassion.
I tried to veer it towards my usual wishes like ‘I want to be rich’, ‘I want to be successful’ – but those were never firm enough to grasp. They really felt like the whimsical fish in the pond, skittering away without making themselves known.
It was at this point my eyes suddenly opened and two tears slid down.
I am not sure of the reason for the presence of the tears. I just know I wasn’t yet ready to come back. So I closed my eyes again.
The cocoon had been broken, the world worries trying to seep in. The sudden return had quickly reminded me of certain deadlines and some emails I had been waiting on, so my heart rate was up. I felt anxious and nervous very quickly. But closing down the sleeping bag was smoother this time. I just zipped it all in and was back in the bright space.
This part I don’t remember too clearly. I do remember some appearance of the people in my life. And all the energy I felt – Joe Dispenza’s book states that at our core we are energy – I focused on the physical nervousness. Trying to calm it down. And the reverberation of:
I am. Free.
I am. Free.
I am. Free.
Coming back from Meditation
To come back from the meditation space, I brought my mind to focus on my physical. Moving my hands and feet. Then I tapped my face a few times before finally opening my eyes.
It felt like an out of body experience, but deep within my self.
I’m not entirely sure about the immediate benefits just yet. I think I need to stick with the induction phase for at least a week before progressing to the next stages of meditation.
This was my very first time exploring this inner space, and it made me feel uneasy at times. Meditation often seems like a daunting practice. But this experience felt like a significant breakthrough for me. I’m not sure if this is how it’s supposed to feel, but it seems like a win. I’ll keep updating you as I continue to work on my meditation practice.
Key takeaways and Tips for Meditation
- Anyone can do it but it is hard.
- Your brain and your body will rebel – You are the master so bring them to alignment by focusing.
- Focus on one thing at a time. Like when you are trying to balance on one foot, focusing on a single object with your eyes helps? Focus your brain and thoughts similarly.
- Breathing will help so use it throughout your session.
- Set your surroundings in such a way to remove distractions.
