Meraki Meditation
Meditation and mindfulness are activities that stem from ancient Buddhist practices dating back 2500 years. Modern life can be busy and noisy, putting a strain on our bodies and brains. Meditation and mindfulness can benefit every single one of us. The key can be working out how you can be how to bring them into your life, in a way that works for you. I have personally practiced meditation and mindfulness, all be it off and on, for 25 years. Initially it was exclusively within my yoga practice but over the last 5 years I have practiced it regularly as a stand alone activity. Additional training that supports me in guiding others to try out some meditation and mindfulness include Mindful Resilience Enhancement Training (The Christie NHS Foundation Trust), PG Cert Human Factors for Patient Safety (University of Staffordshire), Meditation Teacher Training with Gateway and Meditation Teacher Training with Yogi_Bryan Academy. This training, on top of my medical training and over 25 years as an NHS doctor, allow me to create safe spaces where you can explore your meditation.
Meditation and mindfulness in every day life
Meditation and mindfulness can take many forms depending on who you are, what your life looks like and what your self-care looks like. It can be a vary hugely from an in depth, 45 minute practices to a few short minutes integrated into day to day activities. In my opinion, where the magic happens, is in the latter. Most of us would struggle to undertake a 45 minute body scan amid a busy day. I would. In understanding what meditation and mindfulness can look like, we can find joyful moments during washing our dishes (honestly), train journey or standing in a queue at the post office. We can also find it in activities such as Yoga and Tai chi/Chi gong but also activities such as golf, boxing or cycling. Once we understand what works for us, our morning brew can be a mindful activity.
So what actually is meditation and mindfulness?
Meditation and mindfulness uses the awareness of breath as an anchor – something to focus on to keep our focus. A technique where we note and tune in to certain things going on around us encouraging us to be present in the moment. Some people thing meditation and mindfulness are about “emptying your mind” or “quietening your mind” and it is and it isn’t. It’s about focusing on, for example, the sounds around you and controlling your breath in certain ways to help relaxation. As we practice mindfulness “mind chatter” will happen. The key is to note the chat, almost nod to it and say “I hear you” and return our attention to our breath and the sounds were focusing on. It’s not “mind control” but a habit that improves neuroplasticity which in turn allows us to develop new ways of noting and reacting to the world around us.