Is It Meditation?! 22 Actions You MIGHT Do Meditatively

Have you ever heard individuals saying that “completely something will be meditation”? It’s a typical false impression. Whereas there are numerous actions that may be carried out mindfully, there are few workout routines that genuinely represent “meditation”.

That’s why, on this article, I wished to check out completely different actions, whether or not or not we will use them as meditation, and if that’s the case, how?

However first, we have to outline precisely what meditation is. It’s, in spite of everything, a really versatile phrase. For the aim of this information, we are going to outline meditation as, “Focusing the thoughts on the current second with out judgment”. For an exercise to be thought-about meditative, it have to be one thing that helps us to do exactly that, to concentrate on the current second with out judgment.

Let’s check out the completely different actions. And by the way in which, these are all issues that I’ve heard individuals say “Are meditation”. 

Totally different Actions And Whether or not Or Not They “Are Meditation”

ASMR: The Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is a tingling sensation that begins within the head and works its approach down the physique producing a gentle euphoria. It’s often induced by listening to sure sounds or taking a look at sure kinds of movies. ASMR has therapeutic results which are just like meditation, corresponding to reduction from stress and melancholy. Nonetheless, it can’t be thought-about meditation because it doesn’t require usto consciously focus the thoughts and it doesn’t produce the identical cognitive advantages as meditation. 

Artwork: Artwork is one exercise that almost all undoubtedly can, doubtlessly, be carried out as meditation. Whether or not it’s sculpting or portray, artwork encourages us to concentrate on the current second, thus fostering mindfulness. That is very true for any sort of “nonetheless life” artwork wherein we’re drawing what we see, wherein case we’re principally meditating on the sense of sight. We will take this even additional by doing Blind Contour Drawing, wherein we draw the define of the topic with out trying on the paper. That is truly considered one of my favourite mindfulness actions.

Breathwork: Breathwork is using any respiratory method to realize altered states of consciousness, in the end main to varied well being advantages. As such it is rather intently tied to meditation and certainly some meditation methods (significantly yogic meditations) require exact breathwork. Nonetheless, whether or not breathwork is meditation relies on whether or not or not you select to consciously focus your consciousness on the breath. In spite of everything, it’s fairly straightforward to do a method like Field Respiration with out truly meditating on the breath. 

Chanting: Chanting can completely be thought-about meditation nearly at all times. Whether or not it’s Christian or Buddhist chanting, once we chant we focus the thoughts on the sounds we’re making, similar to once we are reciting mantras. And simply as with mantras, specializing in a chant is certainly a type of meditation. It is usually very wholesome and there may be analysis suggesting that chanting helps to treatment diseases. 

CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Remedy is the follow of observing our ideas and actively altering them to one thing more healthy. It’s the gold commonplace for the therapy of many psychological diseases. Nonetheless, it’s not meditation, under no circumstances. Certainly in some methods the 2 are actually reverse. Meditation is about accepting no matter ideas come up, the place CBT is completely about altering ideas. CBT additionally doesn’t require the extent of focus obligatory for meditation. As such, CBT is just not meditation. Another types of remedy (notably ACT and DBT) are a lot nearer to meditation than CBT is. That, mentioned, Aware Cognitive Behavioral Remedy is now well-liked, and that’s considerably bridging the hole.

Driving: Many drivers expertise “Move” state, the state wherein we’re fully centered but in addition comfy. Psychologically that is the very same state that many meditation methods put us in. And in some methods driving will be carried out meditatively. On the similar time, it will be unwise to intentionally meditate whereas driving. Be aware, sure, however don’t meditate.

Dancing: Dancing completely will be a type of meditation. Certainly, there are a number of conventional types of dancing meditation, corresponding to Nataraja. That mentioned, many individuals really feel self aware when dancing, which is at odds with the character of meditation, which is all about non-judgmental acceptance. If you happen to deliberately focus your thoughts on the actions of your physique with full acceptance and non-judgment, then sure, dancing is meditation. In any other case, it isn’t. I’d additionally level out that some types of dance are extra meditative than others. Any mild and repetitive dance, corresponding to folks dancing, is good for mindfulness, the place extra advanced dances like hip hop will not be.

Dissociation: Dissociation means being disconnected from our ideas, emotions, and physique. Many individuals assume dissociation is meditation as a result of in meditation we detach from our ideas. Nonetheless, there’s a refined however important distinction. Dissociation actually means you separate your consciousness from your individual expertise. This may be fairly disastrous for psychological well being. Meditation, alternatively, is extra about diffusion, which principally means placing a little bit of area between our consciousness and our ideas, which is great for psychological well being.

Train: Some types of train are inherently meditative. For example, any sort of built-in body-mind coaching, corresponding to tai chi and qigong, is meditative as a result of in these workout routines we intentionally focus the thoughts on the physique with acceptance. Different types of train can doubtlessly be made meditative should you resolve to consciously focus your consciousness in your physique when you transfer. What issues right here is the standard of focus that you simply convey to the train. Easy repetitive workout routines are the perfect ones to do meditatively. 

Hypnosis: Hypnosis typically will get lumped in with meditation as a result of they’re each thoughts workout routines and certainly each can be utilized to assist with a wide range of well being points. Nonetheless, they’re essentially completely different. Hypnosis includes another person momentarily controlling our minds. The one who is being hypnotized is just not answerable for the method. Contrastingly, meditation is all about controlling our personal minds. Additionally, hypnosis tends to result in extra fast, short-term positive aspects the place meditation takes longer however is extra lasting.

Journaling: Sitting down to put in writing a journal entry in regards to the previous day. Is that meditation? Not likely. Journaling is basically a follow of reflection, and certainly research present it may be extremely helpful. Nonetheless, it’s fairly completely different to meditation. Journaling invitations us to actively take into consideration the current previous, the place meditation is about consciously specializing in the current second.

Knitting: Truthfully, knitting is without doubt one of the greatest actions on this planet for cultivating mindfulness. The mild repetition of knitting helps us to concentrate on the current second and to loosen up, and it most undoubtedly will be carried out meditatively (once more, if you consciously select to concentrate on what you’re doing). That is simply in my listing of the perfect aware actions.

Listening to music: Listening to music can go wherever from “under no circumstances aware” to “completely meditative”. We will clearly hearken to music with out actually paying a lot consideration to the current second. And we will additionally 100% concentrate on the music, subsequently making it meditative. And certainly there are numerous conventional meditation methods that target sound, corresponding to mantra meditation and meditating on a singing bowl.

Lucid Dreaming: The act of being aware whereas dreaming? Can we think about that meditation? Effectively, imagine it or not there truly are meditation methods that particularly contain lucid dreaming (most notably Tibetan Dream Yoga). Additionally price noting is that meditation makes it extra seemingly for us to have lucid desires. Nonetheless, the 2 will not be the identical factor. The primary distinction is that lucid dreaming doesn’t contain intentionally focusing the thoughts on the current second. That mentioned, some individuals have said that they’ll truly go into meditation throughout a lucid dream (I’m not considered one of them!). 

Mindfulness: Lots of people get this confused, principally as a result of there are two types of mindfulness. There may be the precise meditation method known as mindfulness, which is just about the identical as Vipassana. After which there may be “Trait Mindfulness” which is the standard of being genuinely conscious. The previous is meditation. The latter is just not.

NDSR: Non Sleep Deep Relaxation is a method “created” by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman. I say “created” evenly as a result of in actuality NDSR is simply one other title for Yoga Nidra. And sure, Yoga Nidra is a meditation method.

Prayer: Prayer is just not meditation and is essentially completely different. I feel one of the best ways to clarify that is within the quote “Prayer is once you speak to God. Meditation is once you hear”. Prayer is energetic considering and meditation is energetic listening. That mentioned, there’s a Christian meditation method known as Meditative Prayer that merges the 2, and this certainly is a type of meditation, however the common “Our father…” is just not. 

Pranayama: Pranayama is the broad time period used to explain the breathwork utilized in yoga. Some types of pranayama are expressly meditation methods. For example, in Tibetan Pranayama we meditate on the movement of the breath via the vitality facilities of the physique. Nonetheless, when most individuals say Pranayama they imply the kind of respiratory carried out whereas doing a bodily yoga exercise. There may be nothing inherently meditative about that, though actually you may select to meditate in your breath whereas figuring out and thereby flip it right into a meditation. So I assume it’s elective. 

Studying: Studying shares many issues in frequent with meditation. For starters, it’s very stress-free and lots of people do it earlier than mattress simply as they do meditation. Studying can be good for psychological well being, selling calmness, enhancing creativity, and strengthening our cognitive considering abilities. Nonetheless, it actually isn’t the identical factor as meditation in any respect. It’s extra like a guided visualization than an actual meditation.

Operating / Strolling: Each strolling and working will be carried out meditatively. Certainly in Chan Buddhism there’s a method known as Kinhin (Zen Strolling) wherein we meditate on the motion of the legs whereas transferring slowly. What makes strolling and working appropriate for meditation is the repetitive motion of the legs. Research present that specializing in one thing repetitive helps us to loosen up. Therefore why the movement of strolling / working is appropriate for meditation, and particularly should you’re doing it outdoor someplace tranquil.

Sleeping: On paper, sleeping might sound loads like meditation. In each now we have our eyes closed and try to loosen up. And each are restorative. But there are huge variations. Sleep is a complete lack of information. Meditation is whole consciousness. Sleeping received’t practice us to make use of our minds higher both. Now pardon me whereas I am going meditate and, 5 minutes later, go to sleep. 

Tai Chi: Tai Chi is the one and solely entry on this listing that may be a onerous “sure”. Whereas the opposite actions I’ve talked about can be carried out meditatively, tai chi should be carried out meditatively. Certainly in accordance with the Tai Chi And Qigong Institute, tai chi is “meditation in movement”. If you happen to’re not meditating when you’re doing these sluggish and sleek actions, you’re not doing tai chi.

Closing Ideas 

It’s actually well-liked to say “Something will be meditation” however this merely is just not true. One of the best instance of that is enjoying a online game. Certainly, research present that meditating whereas gaming could cause seizures, and I personally have skilled this. That mentioned, many issues can doubtlessly be carried out in a meditative method if we select so. One of the best actions to do mindfully are ones which are easy and repetitive, corresponding to knitting and strolling. Think about the completely different actions you do each day, and ask your self which of them you can use as meditation.

Paul Harrison BSc is a professional meditation trainer who believes in real, genuine meditation. He has greater than 15 years expertise in educating meditation and mindfulness each to people and to firms and is the writer of 4 books on meditation. He has been featured in Psychology As we speak, Breathe Journal, Healthline, Psych Central and Lion’s Roar.

Paul studied meditation in lovely Oxford, UK, and Hamilton Ontario Canada, and earned his diploma at Staffordshire College.

Paul’s greatest inspirations embrace Thich Nhat Hanh, Jon Kabat Zinn, and Jack Kornfield.

“My objective is to offer essentially the most genuine meditation classes so you may harness the facility of your individual thoughts for private transformation” – Paul Harrison