Preparing: Making Space for Meditation
Hello lovely people! So we're starting tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to joining you for the next 7 days. It'll be easy and relaxed - it's meditation after all - so there's nothing to worry about. I also don't want to add to your to-do list, but there are one or two ideas I wanted to share with you. A few small preparations which will make all the difference - so you can get the best out of your meditation.
Do you have a space in mind? Do you have something comfortable to sit on? Do you know what time of the day you will be sitting? What is the best way to get started?
Find a calm space
First of all, choose your quiet space - whether that's within your home or outside. A space that is free from distractions and has limited traffic flow. You can create a meditation corner in your bedroom, lounge, garden, or even a balcony
Use comfortable seating
Avoid sitting directly on the floor. If you have one, use a soft yoga mat, meditation cushion or meditation bench. If you have none of those, that doesn’t matter. A medium height mattress, using soft cushions for a backrest will work. Or a comfortable chair or stool with a back rest is also fine. You can lie down on your bed or a sofa, but chances are you’ll fall asleep. :)
Switch off devices
If you put your phone on airplane mode, you should still be able to listen to the voice note I will send each day. In this way you’ll avoid unwanted distractions from social media or surprise phone calls
Let people know
Unless you are alone when you meditate, let the people know you need some time for privacy and quiet. The entire exercise shouldn’t take more than 10mins tops. This will include reading a short description / introduction to the day’s meditation and the meditation itself.
Setting the tone
Lighting is important, and you’ll find it much more restful to dim the lights, close the blinds or draw the curtains to soften the space. Using candles, incense, aromatherapy will also add an element of comfort and serenity to your space. Plants, stones, crystals, or significant ornaments can bring a personal or spiritual element into your space.
Same time, same place - it's a date!
It really helps to sit at the same time, in the same place every day. The routine is very important and will make it much easier to stay with a steady, regular practice. Think of it as a date with yourself. An important date. You wouldn't easily stand up a friend, would you? Allow yourself the luxury of this practice. See it as taking out valuable time for yourself - even if it's only a few minutes each day.
Sit before you eat
It is also recommended that you don't sit until at least 2 hours after you have eaten. Perhaps not so much with the shorter, 5min meditations, but for longer sittings especially, eating right before you sit will give you indigestion and an uncomfortable experience. I also suggest you don't drink or eat stimulants before you sit: you may not be aware of it, but coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, vapes, etc., are all mind altering substances and affect your sitting.
What are you expecting to get out of this meditation week?
Do you have ideas about that?
How you will receive the meditations
Each day I will be sending you a Whatsapp message on the broadcast group. I will send it early for those who are keen to get started before the day kicks in - around 6.30am. (If anyone needs it earlier, let me know.) This message will include a link and a voice note. The link is a short description of the day’s meditation, and the voicenote will be a guided meditation of about 5mins. It's super simple. You only have to listen to my voice. You get to keep the meditation, so you can listen to it as often as you like.
To access will be easy too: you tap on the link which will connect you to the written introduction. Then you tap on the voicenote and the meditation will be available to you. All of this shouldn’t take you longer than 10 minutes at most.
Of course you can decide to make the meditation as long as you like: 15 minutes, 20 minutes or even longer. How and when you practice is up to you. First thing in the morning is recommended, but if that doesn’t fit in with your schedule, evenings or at any time of the day is fine. You could practice while sitting in the car, waiting for someone. At work during lunchtime, if you have a quiet corner of the office. You decide.
TIP: If you do decide to meditate for longer than the 5 minutes, please set up some kind of timer for yourself. It's easy to lose track of time while you're meditating, and one of the biggest distractions is to find yourself constantly wondering what the time is. You can use your phone or an egg timer. Just remember to disconnect from calls, messages and social media.
We will tap into a different element of mindfulness with every meditation. At the end of the week, the 7th meditation, I will include a Zoom link. This will give you the opportunity to meet up in a Zoom room to discuss and ask questions.
You are all welcome to whatsapp me with any questions you may have, and I will try to answer everyone as best and soon as I can.
Have a wonderful day.
