Meditating for Mama's (or anyone really!)

One of the most challenging things I have discovered since becoming a Mum is maintaining a spiritual practice. All too quickly I don't seem to have spare time where I can sit in contemplation and meditate. Nor do I have the free time or physical energy to attend regular yoga classes. So as we  learn in yoga I must be like a tree, strong but flexible, adapting to my new life and integrating the spiritual into the everyday instead of having it as a separate entity. Which is probably the best way to practice anyway.

In comes Sarah Napthali who has written the book "Buddhism for Mothers." I have just started reading this book and have already found it to be extremely useful so I wanted to share some techniques that we can all use every day to become calmer Mums (or people.) Sarah has a quote in the book that might help you to understand what mindfulness and meditation truly is; 

"Meditation is here and now, amid the ups and downs of life, amidst conflicts, disappointments, heartaches, joys, success and stress of living. It is amidst the chaos that we need to practise mindfulness to find peace within ourselves and the end of our suffering" 

Following are some ways how:

• You can meditate when doing pretty much any task during the day, walking down the hallway, doing the dishes, laundry, breastfeeding/bottle feeding, at the traffic lights, waiting in a queue, going to the toilet. All you need do is be present in these moments without the mind chatter. Start by choosing just one activity that you do everyday such as having a cup of tea and just be there concentrate on the activity of choice and allow all thoughts to just float by without getting attached to them. If you get caught up in your mind chatter just gently bring yourself back to the moment and remember the past and the future do not exist we only have the here and now.
• When you are waking say to yourself "I am walking" and feel the earth beneath your feet. The earth is a powerful energy field and you will feel its calming effect just by focusing on it.
• When you do housework concentrate on every detail of the task, feel the water running over your hands when washing up or the way your muscles work when vacuuming.
• When you eat, eat mindfully, so much of our eating is done with other stimuli these days, we watch tv or play on our phones and don't even think about the food that is entering our bodies. Concentrate on the movement of your hands while eating, the taste, the texture how it feels when you swallow and the feeling of it in your belly. 
• When going through your daily tasks, do a quick body scan, are there areas of tension? Can you relax a little bit more? Do you need to soften your face? 
• Wherever you are notice your surroundings, really drink it in. Challenge yourself to notice something different in your neighbourhood every day.   
• Listen attentively to others and pause before jumping into the conversation.
• Watch your thinking processes as often as possible without judgement. There are no 'good' and 'bad' thoughts they are just thoughts.
• Take every opportunity to focus on your breathing to rest your mind.
• Seek opportunities for silence and stillness. Sometimes it makes sense to resist the tv, car radio or idle chatter.

There you have it meditation and mindfulness can be integrated in our lives every day and we don't have to be dedicating endless hours in a monastery or ashram to truly become peaceful and still. It really is that simple.

Love and light
L xox