"Lose Your Mind So You Can Acquire a New Kind of Knowledge." ~ Holly Lynn Payne
Do you know the moments when your thoughts seem to go in all directions? No logic, no control. Everyone is fighting for your attention like a class full of overexcited schoolchildren, one louder than the other yelling at a teacher who has lost control and is running out of the classroom crying.
"What if I don't get this job?"
"What if they don't like me?"
"Why didn't Rico return my calls?"
"What if he doesn't really love me?"
"Did I shut down the heating?"
"I feel like a failure when I think about my money situation."
"He should have called me back if he really loved me."
"I should start with the budget tomorrow."
"I will do yoga every day next month."
"I should really lose some weight."
"If so, I don't want to see him anymore."
"Is reality really real at all?"
“I feel a fever; do i have corona? "
"What if the sun doesn't rise?"
"I'm going to text him now."
"No, let's not text him now, I'm too upset."
"I feel a strange tingling sensation in my hand, am I dying?"
In such a situation, you feel like you're going crazy, don't you? You want to stop and get out and just want some peace and quiet. Just because it is so uncomfortable to have such thoughts, it is a great motivation to let go of the mind and find silence within. These moments make you want to go crazy, and that's really great!
Meditation is a great ally in my life at all levels. The silence helps me to get in touch with a deeper level of experience – more happiness, more flow and more magic. But I speak to many people who find it very difficult to start meditating. Even if they try, they get stuck or fight.
It is my mission to make meditation easy for everyone interested, because it is really easy once you have it.
During my years of spiritual practice, retreats, and meditation training, I came across some exercises that felt almost like a cheat code to bypass the mind. They are so simple and accessible that you don't need any practice and it doesn't take long. But on a silver platter they deliver what so many people are looking for after years of trying to calm the mind through meditation.
It doesn't matter whether you are a novice or a veteran. These exercises offer something for everyone.
What is important for all these exercises: let go of expectations, just watch what happens; There is no right or wrong. Experience how it feels for you and stay in the feeling; don't try to understand it in words.
1. table tennis
The next time you get into a love story or money shortage or worry in your head, pay attention and you will see that you have thoughts that say the opposite.
Think of this classic example of contradicting thoughts:
"I never want to see him again."
"Why doesn't he call me?"
If you have such conflicting thoughts, take a step back and consider both thoughts. It's like a table tennis game, isn't it? Then just stay there for a while and feel what is happening.
2. Look at
Go for a walk outside; It doesn't matter where or when. Just focus on looking at your surroundings. Just look with your eyes, really look without commenting in your head what you see. It doesn't matter if it's a beautiful forest on a busy shopping street. Just pay attention to what you are seeing and experiencing.
If you ever think of a thought, don't reach for it. just watch it and let it float past like a cloud in the sky. In the meantime, draw your attention to your surroundings and move on.
3. Five Breaths
That may sound very simple, but when it comes down to it, for many people it is more difficult than they might think, and that makes it so funny and so eye-opening. This way you can see how many big and small thoughts appear in your head with every breath.
So sit down, close your eyes, and take five slow breaths in and out, in and out as you go – inhale, exhale, one; inhale, exhale, two. Counting gives you something to keep your mind that helps you keep it away from other thoughts.
If you make it to five with a calm mind, try adding five more, and then more. When thoughts come up, just focus on your count and your breath again.
As you practice this, the invitation is to see what happens for you. How does your mind feel How does your body feel Do you experience something else?
4. Wait for it
Sit down, close your eyes and say to yourself: "Hmm, I wonder what the next thought will be." Concentrate on the space in your head where thoughts seem to come from and sit and wait for the next thought while keeping your focus.
5. Hum!
The amazing Indian tradition of Brahmari is a great emergency tool for calming a chaotic mind.
Just close your eyes and go to "Huuuummmmmmmmmmm" and let the "mmmm" run as long as possible until you hear the "mmmm" in the middle of your brain. You can also use "Ohm" or "Aum" if you want, since they also end with "mmmm". Do it for as long as you can and see how it calms and relaxes you.
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These five exercises will give you an experience of silence in no time and are all great first steps towards a regular meditation practice. If one doesn't work, just go to the next one and don't force anything. Be playful with it.
If you do these exercises regularly, the silence becomes longer and clearer. But be careful: they could just make you fall in love with your mind!
About Dirkje Bakker-Pierre
Dirkje Bakker-Pierre aka Derrekien is an Amsterdam-based artist, writer and spiritual teacher who is passionate about inspiring people to find their freedom and from Hearts to live. She creates freedom drawings that contain energy to support this goal. She also organizes freestyle creativity workshops and coaches people in their spiritual awakening process and meditation practice. More about her work at loveandothernecessities.com. Follow her Instagram for daily inspiration, drawings and quotes.
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