By Laura Brown, Wisdom Pills

If it weren’t for my mind, my meditation would be excellent. ~ Ani Pema Chodron Click To Tweet

Meditation does not come easily to me. At first, I thought I simply wasn’t able to do it at all. Then I realized I’d been meditating in my own way all along. I just hadn’t given myself credit for it.

It is important to understand what meditation actually is, rather than what you expect it be, or believe it should be. Don’t feel you have failed if you can’t sit still for half an hour.

Don’t think you’re doing it wrong if you aren’t sitting on the floor in a Yoga position. And Don’t think you have to buy stuff to do it right, either. Do understand that your mind does not shut off during meditation; you may have thousands of thoughts and feelings as your ever-active mind finally begins the process of winding down and relaxing.

1) One-Minute-Meditation

Start with 60 seconds, sitting quietly. Try finding a place where you don’t have distractions (like clutter, even if you think you function in clutter). Give yourself the chance to succeed by setting the stage and not overwhelming yourself with big goals. Listen to the ticking of a clock for 60 seconds while just breathing in and out without feeling pressured, impatient or annoyed. For 60 seconds don’t focus on your daily aggravations, give your brain a coffee break.

2) Get Distracted

I meditate on public transportation. That is the one time my mind stops being so busy, I don’t feel guilty or restless and I can drift along for the hour-long bus ride across town. No doubt this won’t work for everyone. Some people would find being on the bus frustrating. For me, it’s relaxing. I forget I’m even there and connected to anything or anyone. But, I don’t miss my stop.

From this I have learned meditation is all about distracting my mind. Instead of sitting quietly, while compiling to-do lists in my head I can focus on something kind of bland, routine and yet not actually boring or pointless. There are endless household chores which work great for meditation: washing dishes, folding laundry, painting something. Anything simple, not requiring a lot of thought, will work.

3) Doodle

Getting your body busy with a routine will free up your mind. Just like the bus ride, there isn’t anything very challenging to occupy your brain, so it can take a back seat for awhile. Doodling is another option, a creative outlet. I’d try Zen Tangle but for a perfectionist like myself I would be trying too hard and focusing on making something memorable. I would rather draw standard doodles: lines, circles, odd shapes and then shade them in or fill them with dots, connecting lines. . .  and so on. No mental stress involved.

4) White Noise

If your pen has run out of ink, doodle in your imagination. See swirling shapes, colours, like your personal screensaver. Or try some music. Background, white noise, very quiet — not something that’ll make you want to jump up and dance. I know a local Pagan store which sells CDs with the sound of the ocean, trains, just about anything people could use to wind down for sleep or meditation.

Read the rest of this article here: http://www.wisdompills.com/2016/11/18/9-meditation-tips-people-cant-sit-still/