I often find myself in deep thought or rather numerous thoughts flooding and clouding my mind. This influx of thoughts usually deters whatever I was planning on doing and there is this period of downloading or adjusting where I can slowly diffuse the thoughts and actually be a functioning human being. This happens with sports, leisure events and even conversations from time to time. It can be annoying as I am trying to live in the moment or pick up words from a conversation and these thoughts that are often wayward float around my skull. I am sure this is a common problem amongst people, so I won’t elaborate on the symptoms, frequency and duration. I will however talk about how I negate these events and in the practice of doing so more meaningful things came to my attention.
I started getting into the practice of meditation roughly 3 years ago. I don’t mean the Shaolin monastery style of deep meditation under a waterfall or in a split on two pillars above a mountain top (although that would be cool). I am describing several reasonable and effective practices that lead me to a more tranquil mind if I do it regularly. I have not really visited breathwork, different types of transes or guided imagery during this journey. This process is relatively basic, but it has yielded results.
The act of meditation can be done anywhere and at any time. In this tiered approach I’m going to describe three types of meditation in a variety of settings that I use quite often.
Most basic option also in my opinion the hardest
I usually go in a quiet place such as garage or a room. All distractions are taken away and I set a timer either for 3, 5, 7, or 15 minutes. During this time, I sit Indian style with my arms at my side or however comfortable and I close my eyes. I try and take deep breathes 2 Mississippi count inhales through the nose and 1 Mississippi count through the mouth. It’s tough as thoughts flow through the brain, but as you maintain the deep breathes with little distractions they can settle, ever so slightly. In tough situations I try to envision myself with a tennis racquet volleying the thoughts out of my mind, at a minimum its entertaining. What I find is my BP drops by 5 mm/Hg diastolic post meditation on average, my mind feels refreshed or least empty and If I was mildly agitated or easily upset that is no longer the case. Seven or fifteen minutes is ideal, but I have reported symptom reduction with just 3 minutes of deep breathing and an attempt to control my thoughts. The benefits of this practice are a clearer head prior to engaging in an event or conversing with others, a better post workout high after running or jiu jitsu and a way to gradually develop the minds resilience to wandering thoughts. It is not easy, although it is basic. Like anything it just requires consistent practice. I try to do this at least 3x a week. That roughly amounts to 21 minutes a week for a clearer head and more focus.
Meditation with a Twist: 80s movie meditation
This act puts you in the moment a lot more in my opinion. It’s easier, more fun and adds that flare that makes life more interesting and enjoyable. It’s an opportunistic style of meditation that I try to practice weekly. Because it is abstract, I will give a few scenarios and the reader can deduce how to replicate it on their own. Scenario one- This one is my favorite but due to the nature of it it’s not always available. Whenever it rains, particularly in the morning or evening I sit on the ground on my porch. The same rules apply with limiting distractions, and I try to breathe deep whilst taking in all the sights and sounds of nature. The water drops hitting the ground, the sound of the trees moving around me mixed with my own stirring thoughts is rather therapeutic. I alternate between deep breathwork with my eyes closed and breaks in between where I just take the sights in and admire the rain and surroundings around me. Scenario two- Some outdoor venue, either one’s back yard, a friend’s garden or a park. Sit off into the distance and admire it for what it is and intermittently practice breathing, analyzing thoughts and trying to limit them and simply just be. This can be a beach, a nice park, even a mini mall. It’s the practice of being a background character; gathering all the necessary factors of the environment to live in the moment more. This practice has been immense in relaxation, planning for future events and for obtaining inspiration. We all have these moments where we are stuck. Either emotionally, occupationally or creatively. This I find is an excellent way to clear the mind for whatever new ideas may arise.
Sport specific
The last option of meditation is during an activity. Sanding wood, Jiu jitsu, basketball, walking the dog. Any mundane or meaningful activity can suffice. In the process of engaging in this activity ask yourself and resonate if it is for enjoyment or renewing of yourself? Does it get you into the flow state? Does this activity leave you feeling revived? What would happen if you added “this” or took away “that”? How would the activity feel then? Meditating on a phrase, a mission, some sort of directive for the amount of time engaged can leave a feeling of accomplishment. The art of deep thought can lead to conclusions not only about somebody’s free throw technique but also about themselves. It can open up even deeper questions about the reason behind the need to do certain activities. How we treat are friends and most importantly how we treat ourselves. I try and take a moment to reflect at least once every time I engage in a meaningful activity. It may do wonders for anyone in a rut.
These three approaches are not the Rosetta stone for stress reduction and controlling anxiety. These are ways, through tinkering that I have found to clear out some thoughts, gain inspiration and most importantly to myself gain insight. Meditation has granted me the ability to have insight in a variety of settings regarding sport and in life. It allows a chance to slow down the activity, the pace of life and our soul if only momentarily. This in itself is essential in this fast-paced world where patience and wisdom take a backseat to instant gratification and understanding.
Books I have been reading:
The Eden Project – James Hollis
Activities I have been doing:
Meditating when it rains
Night drives
6 am BJJ
Music of the Week:
Trappin’ in Paradise – YouTube it
Can you stand the rain – New edition
Rick N Morty – Swum