In this modern world the importance of finding time to clear our minds of our daily activities is becoming more important as the levels of stress rise in our lives.
Meditation is not something one must be in complete silence or isolation to do. Meditation can be done anywhere or anytime. If one becomes involved in a repetitive activity and maintains an awareness of being engaged in that activity, that is a form of meditation.
There are many forms of meditation but the importance of adapting a practice that meets your needs and lifestyle is the easiest place to start. If we look at a simple practice of “watching our breath” then that is a simple yet highly effective form of practice. By watching the breath, I mean observing the movement of the breath. The in-breath is like the movement of the tide coming in, nourishing the foreshore which has been exposed during the low tide. The in- breath fills up the space which the out-breath has created.
So when we are breathing in we initially become aware of the breath as it reaches our nostrils or lips, feeling the coolness or warmness of the air as it enters our body. It is this awareness of the breath which captures the mind. By “capturing the mind” with this awareness of the breath a state of mental relaxation can ensue.
The mind becomes the observer of the activity and is part of the rhythm of the activity. In this state a unifying of the body and the mind takes place where the transient and erratic thoughts of the mind are calmed and slow down. This slowing down of the mental stimulation brings an inner peace over the body and the mind. It can be said in this state the body influences the mind and the mind influences the body. It is this state of harmonious interaction that a state of meditation can take place.
So with the observing of the movement of the breath, from in breath to out-breath and out-breath to in-breath ……….one becomes calmer and detached from the hectic rush of our daily lives and is rejuvenated during this process.