by Courtney Davella
When I say meditation, do you envision a cross legged, peaceful body in a beautifully set scene?
Makes sense. But when I meditate, it looks much different.
A couple months ago, I was sitting at the Knoxville airport awaiting an update on my delayed flight back home from a business trip. It was about 4:15pm on a Friday afternoon, and while I had planned to be on a train from the Philadelphia airport heading to my suburban home at this time, instead I was nibbling on pretzel sticks while sitting in an uncomfortable chair and growing more angry at the airport employee who could tell us nothing about our new departure time. I felt frustrated, trapped, and tempted to throw a temper tantrum.
When we finally boarded, about an hour later, my patience was gone. I had already devoured the only reading material I brought with me, and while I considered watching some re-runs of ‘Scrubs’ I had on my iPad, I realized I was in no mood to laugh at Zach Braff acting as a dorky physician (but seriously, how cute is he?).
I needed to do something- my mood was declining quickly, the energy from the pretzels was already waning, and I started to feel myself spiral into a negative whirl of anxiety and discontent.
I reminded myself that all I had to do for the next 2 hours was to sit, let my body rest. I put on my headphones, turned on some James Morrison (mmmmm his voice….) and started focusing on my breath. I practiced a breathing exercise I learned in yoga class (Nadi Shodhan Pranayama), and thought about how lucky I was that all I needed to worry about in that moment was – well, nothing.
My body relaxed. My mind slowed. My patience grew. I made it home with a more calm, positive attitude.
While many may picture the image I described above when thinking about meditation (the serene setting with a perfectly postured body), the true beauty of the practice is that it can be done anywhere, and for however long. The purpose is to be present in the moment, whatever moment that is. Honestly, how many of us find ourselves in a moment where we are gently seated, cross legged with cushion beneath us and a sunrise above us? While this is an amazing place to be, its not often where we are. More likely, we are running to a meeting, driving to the grocery store, squeezing in a yoga session (wherein a real dog is resting beneath your downward dog), or catching up on DVR’d TV shows.
How can we be more mindful during these moments? What can make those ordinary, daily activities…extraordinary?
That’s the purpose of meditation – to train ourselves to be present in all moments of our lives, favorable or unfavorable, and to be able experience them with a clear mind and open heart.
I not only meditate on delayed planes, but also on crowded trains. I meditate while running, and while taking a quick break at work. I lay in Shavasana trying to focus on nothing after a tough yoga practice, and I center my thoughts on relaxing my muscles before being swept into dream land. All times of day, while moving or laying still- I meditate whenever and wherever I can.
Each time I meditate, I have a different approach. Sometimes I focus on one thing: the lyrics to the song I’m listening to, the problem in front of me, or one of my favorites – the vision I mentally recorded when I was visiting Niagara Falls of tremendous loads of water flowing over the edge of a 173 ft. cliff.
Other times I try to focus on nothing, which I find much more challenging. As thoughts enter my mind, I dismiss them. “What am I going to have for lunch?” “Ah, I haven’t talked to my sister in a while…I should call her.” “Did I leave the stove on?” “I should get my hair cut short again…it looked cute that way.” They keep coming, coming, coming, but as quickly as they enter my mind, I let them go, go, go…
No matter where or how, I try to incorporate meditation into my life as consistently as possible. From a general standpoint, meditation has proven physical and mental benefits. But for me personally, its what enabled me to cross the finish line after 26.2 miles (my legs were done around mile 18, but my mind was trained to go further), its helped me in making decisions like abandoning my 5 year plan, and its calmed me down when my mind is racing with lists of things to do.
With all that meditation has helped me accomplish so far, I’m interested in furthering my practice. What other opportunities can I create? How do I overcome the challenge of trying to focus on days that it is particular difficult? How can I create a more mindful lifestyle?
That’s why I’ve decided to be part of a mindful community that is bringing more kindness, compassion and consciousness into the world. Starting next week, I’ll be participating in Mindful in May, which includes a month of 10 minute guided meditation exercises. Through my participation, I’ll be able to take my practice to the next level while raising money for Charity Water, a non-profit organization on a mission to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet.
Whether I do it in the rain, in the car or on a train, in my yoga room at my house, or even if I do it with a mouse…I practice meditation to become more mindful of my surroundings, to become more present to the moment, and more appreciative of the life I experience.
This blog is from Courtney (@courtneydavella), showing us that mindfulness is so much more than sitting formally in meditation every day. It can be practised anywhere, any time. Courtney’s regular blog can be found here.
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Very nice article on a very very nice site! I have been practicing Vipassana and unfortunately my early years (1979-1999) practicing were with a very structured technique I had not realized until a few years ago was causing stress due to the high expectations within that technique’s view. I am grateful to the work of websites like yours to spread the message of mindfulness is a much more secular manner, which has benefitted me enormously. Kudos.