Have you ever heard folks saying that “completely something will be meditation”? It’s a standard false impression. Whereas there are numerous actions that may be achieved mindfully, there are few workouts that genuinely represent “meditation”.
That’s why, on this article, I wished to check out completely different actions, whether or not or not we will use them as meditation, and in that case, how?
However first, we have to outline precisely what meditation is. It’s, in any case, a really versatile phrase. For the aim of this information, we are going to outline meditation as, “Focusing the thoughts on the current second with out judgment”. For an exercise to be thought-about meditative, it should be one thing that helps us to do exactly that, to give attention to the current second with out judgment.
Let’s check out the completely different actions. And by the way in which, these are all issues that I’ve heard folks say “Are meditation”.
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Totally different Actions And Whether or not Or Not They “Are Meditation”
ASMR: The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a tingling sensation that begins within the head and works its manner down the physique producing a gentle euphoria. It’s normally induced by listening to sure sounds or taking a look at sure sorts of movies. ASMR has therapeutic results which can be just like meditation, corresponding to aid from stress and melancholy. Nevertheless, it can’t be thought-about meditation because it doesn’t require usto consciously focus the thoughts and it doesn’t produce the identical cognitive advantages as meditation.
Artwork: Artwork is one exercise that the majority positively can, doubtlessly, be achieved as meditation. Whether or not it’s sculpting or portray, artwork encourages us to give attention to the current second, thus fostering mindfulness. That is very true for any type of “nonetheless life” artwork through which we’re drawing what we see, through which case we’re principally meditating on the sense of sight. We are able to take this even additional by doing Blind Contour Drawing, through which we draw the define of the topic with out wanting on the paper. That is really one in every of my favourite mindfulness actions.
Breathwork: Breathwork is the usage of any respiration approach to realize altered states of consciousness, finally main to numerous well being advantages. As such it is rather carefully tied to meditation and certainly some meditation strategies (notably yogic meditations) require exact breathwork. Nevertheless, whether or not breathwork is meditation is determined by whether or not or not you select to consciously focus your consciousness on the breath. In spite of everything, it’s fairly straightforward to do a way like Field Respiratory with out really meditating on the breath.
Chanting: Chanting can completely be thought-about meditation nearly all the time. Whether or not it’s Christian or Buddhist chanting, after we chant we focus the thoughts on the sounds we’re making, similar to after we are reciting mantras. And simply as with mantras, specializing in a chant is certainly a type of meditation. It is usually very wholesome and there may be analysis suggesting that chanting helps to remedy diseases.
CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Remedy is the apply of observing our ideas and actively altering them to one thing more healthy. It’s the gold commonplace for the therapy of many psychological diseases. Nevertheless, it’s not meditation, under no circumstances. Certainly in some methods the 2 are actually reverse. Meditation is about accepting no matter ideas come up, the place CBT is fully about altering ideas. CBT additionally doesn’t require the extent of focus essential for meditation. As such, CBT is just not meditation. Another types of remedy (notably ACT and DBT) are a lot nearer to meditation than CBT is. That, stated, Conscious Cognitive Behavioral Remedy is now fashionable, and that’s considerably bridging the hole.
Driving: Many drivers expertise “Stream” state, the state through which we’re fully centered but in addition comfortable. Psychologically that is the very same state that many meditation strategies put us in. And in some methods driving will be achieved meditatively. On the similar time, it might be unwise to intentionally meditate whereas driving. Be conscious, sure, however don’t meditate.
Dancing: Dancing completely will be a type of meditation. Certainly, there are a number of conventional types of dancing meditation, corresponding to Nataraja. That stated, many individuals really feel self aware when dancing, which is at odds with the character of meditation, which is all about non-judgmental acceptance. When you deliberately focus your thoughts on the actions of your physique with full acceptance and non-judgment, then sure, dancing is meditation. In any other case, it isn’t. I’d additionally level out that some types of dance are extra meditative than others. Any mild and repetitive dance, corresponding to people dancing, is right for mindfulness, the place extra complicated dances like hip hop are usually not.
Dissociation: Dissociation means being disconnected from our ideas, emotions, and physique. Many individuals suppose dissociation is meditation as a result of in meditation we detach from our ideas. Nevertheless, there’s a delicate however important distinction. Dissociation actually means you separate your consciousness from your individual expertise. This may be fairly disastrous for psychological well being. Meditation, alternatively, is extra about diffusion, which principally means placing a little bit of area between our consciousness and our ideas, which is superb for psychological well being.
Train: Some types of train are inherently meditative. As an example, any kind of built-in body-mind coaching, corresponding to tai chi and qigong, is meditative as a result of in these workouts we intentionally focus the thoughts on the physique with acceptance. Different types of train can doubtlessly be made meditative should you determine to consciously focus your consciousness in your physique when you transfer. What issues right here is the standard of focus that you just carry to the train. Easy repetitive workouts are the perfect ones to do meditatively.
Hypnosis: Hypnosis typically will get lumped in with meditation as a result of they’re each thoughts workouts and certainly each can be utilized to assist with a wide range of well being points. Nevertheless, they’re essentially completely different. Hypnosis includes another person momentarily controlling our minds. The one who is being hypnotized is just not answerable for the method. Contrastingly, meditation is all about controlling our personal minds. Additionally, hypnosis tends to result in extra instant, short-term good points the place meditation takes longer however is extra lasting.
Journaling: Sitting down to write down a journal entry concerning the previous day. Is that meditation? Not likely. Journaling is basically a apply of reflection, and certainly research present it may be extremely helpful. Nevertheless, it’s fairly completely different to meditation. Journaling invitations us to actively take into consideration the current previous, the place meditation is about consciously specializing in the current second.
Knitting: Truthfully, knitting is among the greatest actions on the earth for cultivating mindfulness. The mild repetition of knitting helps us to give attention to the current second and to chill out, and it most positively will be achieved meditatively (once more, if you consciously select to give attention to what you’re doing). That is simply in my record of the perfect conscious actions.
Listening to music: Listening to music can go wherever from “under no circumstances conscious” to “completely meditative”. We are able to clearly hearken to music with out actually paying a lot consideration to the current second. And we will additionally a hundred percent give attention to the music, subsequently making it meditative. And certainly there are numerous conventional meditation strategies that concentrate on sound, corresponding to mantra meditation and meditating on a singing bowl.
Lucid Dreaming: The act of being aware whereas dreaming? Can we take into account that meditation? Properly, imagine it or not there really are meditation strategies that particularly contain lucid dreaming (most notably Tibetan Dream Yoga). Additionally value noting is that meditation makes it extra doubtless for us to have lucid goals. Nevertheless, the 2 are usually not the identical factor. The primary distinction is that lucid dreaming doesn’t contain intentionally focusing the thoughts on the current second. That stated, some folks have said that they’ll really go into meditation throughout a lucid dream (I’m not one in every of them!).
Mindfulness: Lots of people get this confused, principally as a result of there are two types of mindfulness. There may be the precise meditation approach referred to as mindfulness, which is just about the identical as Vipassana. After which there may be “Trait Mindfulness” which is the standard of being genuinely conscious. The previous is meditation. The latter is just not.
NDSR: Non Sleep Deep Relaxation is a way “created” by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. I say “created” frivolously as a result of in actuality NDSR is simply one other title for Yoga Nidra. And sure, Yoga Nidra is a meditation approach.
Prayer: Prayer is just not meditation and is essentially completely different. I feel one of the simplest ways to clarify that is within the quote “Prayer is while you speak to God. Meditation is while you pay attention”. Prayer is energetic pondering and meditation is energetic listening. That stated, there’s a Christian meditation approach referred to as Meditative Prayer that merges the 2, and this certainly is a type of meditation, however the common “Our father…” is just not.
Pranayama: Pranayama is the broad time period used to explain the breathwork utilized in yoga. Some types of pranayama are expressly meditation strategies. As an example, in Tibetan Pranayama we meditate on the movement of the breath by way of the vitality facilities of the physique. Nevertheless, when most individuals say Pranayama they imply the kind of respiration achieved whereas doing a bodily yoga exercise. There may be nothing inherently meditative about that, though actually you possibly can select to meditate in your breath whereas figuring out and thereby flip it right into a meditation. So I assume it’s non-obligatory.
Studying: Studying shares many issues in widespread with meditation. For starters, it’s very stress-free and lots of people do it earlier than mattress simply as they do meditation. Studying can also be good for psychological well being, selling calmness, enhancing creativity, and strengthening our cognitive pondering expertise. Nevertheless, it actually isn’t the identical factor as meditation in any respect. It’s extra like a guided visualization than an actual meditation.
Operating / Strolling: Each strolling and operating will be achieved meditatively. Certainly in Chan Buddhism there’s a approach referred to as Kinhin (Zen Strolling) through which we meditate on the motion of the legs whereas transferring slowly. What makes strolling and operating appropriate for meditation is the repetitive motion of the legs. Research present that specializing in one thing repetitive helps us to chill out. Therefore why the movement of strolling / operating is appropriate for meditation, and particularly should you’re doing it outdoor someplace tranquil.
Sleeping: On paper, sleeping may appear lots like meditation. In each we have now our eyes closed and are attempting to chill out. And each are restorative. But there are large variations. Sleep is a complete ignorance. Meditation is whole consciousness. Sleeping gained’t practice us to make use of our minds higher both. Now pardon me whereas I am going meditate and, 5 minutes later, go to sleep.
Tai Chi: Tai Chi is the one and solely entry on this record that could be a arduous “sure”. Whereas the opposite actions I’ve talked about can be achieved meditatively, tai chi should be achieved meditatively. Certainly in keeping with the Tai Chi And Qigong Institute, tai chi is “meditation in movement”. When you’re not meditating when you’re doing these gradual and sleek actions, you’re not doing tai chi.
Ultimate Ideas
It’s actually fashionable to say “Something will be meditation” however this merely is just not true. One of the best instance of that is taking part in a online game. Certainly, research present that meditating whereas gaming could cause seizures, and I personally have skilled this. That stated, many issues can doubtlessly be achieved in a meditative method if we select so. One of the best actions to do mindfully are ones which can be easy and repetitive, corresponding to knitting and strolling. Take into account the completely different actions you do day by day, and ask your self which of them you might use as meditation.
Paul Harrison BSc is a certified meditation trainer who believes in real, genuine meditation. He has greater than 15 years expertise in instructing meditation and mindfulness each to people and to firms and is the writer of 4 books on meditation. He has been featured in Psychology Immediately, Breathe Journal, Healthline, Psych Central and Lion’s Roar.
Paul studied meditation in lovely Oxford, UK, and Hamilton Ontario Canada, and earned his diploma at Staffordshire College.
Paul’s greatest inspirations embrace Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, and Jack Kornfield.
“My aim is to offer essentially the most genuine meditation classes so you possibly can harness the ability of your individual thoughts for private transformation” – Paul Harrison