This type of meditation is great when you are doing. It’s a great ‘surface’ meditation that helps lift the mood, and give a bit of a recharge.
This type of meditation is best suited for times when you are in motion or moving. Because you are physically active, it’s a ‘surface’ meditation where you ‘skim’ the surface to reap a little bit of benefit while on the fly.
These meditations are probably among the more challenging to remember to do because you naturally want to focus on the action you’re doing – and of course, there are times when you must and should focus only on what you’re doing! But if you can do one here and there, the benefits quickly add up over the course of your day!
You can do this type of meditation, at any time, when you’re in a safe environment, like your own home. It’s ideal for when the action doesn’t require a high level of attention – don’t do this when the situation can become precarious if you don’t focus entirely on the action at hand, such as working machinery or driving. Here’s a simple example: drinking a glass of water.
- As you pick up the glass, focus on the action itself,
- Notice how your fingers wrap around the glass,
- Feel how cool the smooth surface is on your skin,
- Notice how smooth the water is as it enters your mouth, and as you swallow follow the coolness as it goes down your throat.
This focus will stop when your thoughts return, or your television show resumes– but this “in motion” meditation is only meant to be for fleeting moments.
Goal: Stop the superficial, scattered (aka. ‘Monkey Mind’) for a moment.
Duration: Usually fleeting, for only moments at a time.
Steps:
- The next time you’re in a resting position – say on the couch, in the bathroom, in bed – and you have to get up or move, put your focus specifically on the action you’re about to do.
- As you do the motion, watch yourself do it – for example, if you’re reaching for a book from your side table, watch how you lift your arm and move your hand to the book to pick it up.
- You will naturally stop this meditation, without realising it, as you continue with your day.
End Result: The motion is done more gracefully, and as a result, you’ll feel better and lighter in the process of that motion.