Relaxing my body and calming my mind during longer seated meditations is one thing. More challenging, however, is bringing that same feeling of calm awareness into the busyness of my day. In an attempt to address this I’ve started experimenting with short ‘mini meditations’. I’m finding that, in addition to my longer morning meditation, interspersing mini meditations into my day is enormously helpful.
‘Stop Before You Start’, as described by Eric Harrison of Perth Meditation Centre, is a great exercise to try. The ideal time to do it is in-between activities. You simply breathe out and stop before starting something new.
When we’re stressed and busy it can seem impossible to stop, even for a moment. But if we make a concerted effort we can usually take a moment between activities to consciously stop and come back to ourselves.
One breath is all it takes. Breathe out and stop. Use this moment to let go of what you were doing and orient yourself towards your next activity. When your next in-breath appears of its own accord begin whatever it is you plan to do next.
Look for opportunities in your day and try it out. You could breathe out and stop before:
Answering the telephone – you don’t need to pick up on the first ring
Opening a door
Walking up or down stairs
Turning the ignition in your car
Stepping into the shower
Opening your computer
Getting up out of a chair
If you repeatedly stop before you start you can move from one point of stillness to another all day long. This is an incredibly effective yet easy exercise, which can be done anywhere, anytime. The hardest part is remembering to do it!
