Does the
word “meditation” call to mind the image of sitting quietly cross-legged for
hours? If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t do that—I’m not a calm person,” you’re
not alone. But in fact, anyone can practice meditation, and you don’t have to
do it for hours a day to reap the many mind and body benefits.
“What
people don’t always get about a meditation exercise is that it really just
involves taking control of your attention,” says David Harp, author of
Mindfulness to Go: How to Meditate While You’re on the Move. “You have what I
like to call mental muscle: the ability to control your thoughts.”
Just like
a physical workout, mental exercise can help train your brain to behave a
specific way in certain situations. That discipline can override the
“fight-or-flight” response our bodies typically have to stress. It’s no
surprise, then, that research has shown that people who meditate regularly have
lower blood pressure and possibly even stronger immune systems.
Once
you’ve made a habit of meditating, it will become easier to call on a feeling
of calm when you need it. “Some people decide it’s not practical for their
lives because they’re so busy, but meditation teaches you to handle all the
different things that are coming at you without getting flustered,” says David
Dillard-Wright, author of Meditation for Multitaskers: Your Guide to Finding
the Peace Between the Pings. “It’s an empowering feeling even if you don’t have
an ‘I feel in touch with the universe’ sense of bliss.”
Here are
some mini meditations you can do when you need a moment of peace.
Be Mindful
During Mindless Tasks
During the
course of a day, you likely do multiple tasks that don’t require your full
attention, from brushing your teeth to preparing a simple meal you’ve made
countless times.
