What Is Active Meditation? And 5 Ways To Practice It
Business owners like yourself face a lot of stress at work. You have many tasks to complete in so little time. Stress can also easily add up because you’re so busy to the point of having no time to release tension.
In this article, I present to you the idea of active meditation. This is a meditation style that works best for those who cannot sit still. And the best thing about active meditation? It can keep you fit through light physical activity. Read on to find out more about it!
What Is Active Meditation?
Active meditation is a type of meditation that requires you to move while maintaining silence and finding inner calmness. To give you a clear idea of what active meditation looks like, a good example of it is the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi.
As you move, you focus on your body while releasing tensions from within. Because of this, you’ll find inner peace, increase your productivity, and remain calm no matter what happens. All of these benefits will result in a productivity boost.
There are more benefits to active meditation. They include:
- Stress reduction
- Better sleep
- Improved mental health
- Anxiety relief
- Better self-awareness
- Lower blood pressure
5 Ways to Practice Active Meditation
1. Bring your attention to the moment as you shower
Feel every drop of water that lands on your scalp. Focus on the wetness that drips from your skin to the floor tiles. Listen to the sound of water. Look at the steam rising from your bath or body. Notice how the soap slides across your skin as you clean yourself. Smell the aroma of your hygiene products and feel the different temperatures of the shower water, air, and floor.
2. Meditate as you fondle things
If you’re at the office and want to meditate on your table, you can caress the smooth surfaces of your computer’s monitor or the desktop. If you fancy the texture of your chair’s armrest, caress it as well. Remember to always keep your consciousness in releasing your body’s tension and not let it wander into some erotic thoughts.
3. Tai Chi
As mentioned, Tai Chi is a form of active meditation. To do it, start by making your space silent and free from other distractions and objects. Then follow a slow yet deep breathing pattern as you execute the moves. As you meditate, think as if your body is flowing water. There are plenty of sources online about the different Tai Chi movements. Make sure to do your research.
4. Meditate as you walk
Sometimes, meditating in a closed environment just doesn’t allow you to get into a calm trance. When you experience this problem, leave your office and get out. Go on a short walk to the park. Smell the outdoor air. Listen to the chatter of your surroundings and the noises vehicles make as they pass by. Focus on the color of the leaves and grass.
5. Move in any way you want
Lastly, there’s active freestyle meditation. You can make your own activity to get yourself into the meditative trance. Nowadays, most people use fidget spinners. Others flip coins repeatedly. Then there’s the simplest of them all: tapping. You can tap using your fingers, feet, or both as long as you do it slowly while maintaining the proper breathing pattern and focusing on your senses.
You need to have an attitude of not giving a care in the world to effectively do an active meditation session. This is because there are times when you’ll feel conscious and lose focus. You also have to practice your breathing patterns. Start by listening to an ocean wave's background sound to get yourself into the right breathing tempo.
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