Sitting with the Stillness
Float into deep relaxation with this stress-relieving meditation, designed for use with headphones. Enjoy calming sound bath sounds while you listen to a guided experience.
Stop right now. Stop reading for just a moment, sit back into the chair you’re perched on, and take a deep, cleansing breath.
Okay. Now you’re ready to keep reading!
Being still is one of the hardest things for the modern human to do. Even when we are physically sedentary (for some of us, all day long), we find it nearly impossible to quiet our minds, put down the technology, and simply BE.
Sitting with stillness and clearing our minds can be challenging to us because of the amount of time we spend doing the exact opposite. We are accustomed to a nonstop lifestyle that sucks us into one thing after the next from dawn through bedtime. Most of us resist meditation because we feel we are “not good at it” or “it’s too hard”. But just like any physical exercise where muscles take time to adjust, this mental exercise gets better with time, as the mind adapts and grows stronger.
But when something like, say, a global pandemic arises, we have an opportunity to choose how to respond: panic or embrace.
Panicking can seem like the easy way out, choosing to self-soothe with.. let’s call them “less beneficial habits,” led by an anxious mindset. Embracing it involves pausing to dig deep, in pursuit of that place inside of us that is simply quiet. Just under the surface, if we can use self-discipline and control to quiet the mind, this place exists in all of us. Here, thoughts pass like clouds in the sky, and the busy bee inside is at rest. Multiple studies have shown that meditation can relieve anxiety, depression, and reduce stress. Doesn’t that sound lovely?
Let’s start simple. This breathing technique has helped me gain control of my anxiety in a way that has been life-changing. Breathe in for 4 slow counts (Mississippi’s, if you will), hold your breath at the top gently for another 4 counts, and then breathe out slowly for 4 counts. Do this anywhere from 5 to 25 times and focus your mind on absolutely nothing but counting. With time, this can become your go-to method of achieving calm, drifting off to sleep, or just quieting your mind before your meditation practice. You can apply this technique to your morning workout, yoga practice, or moments throughout the day where your environment is quiet, but your mind could use a little clearing.
If you’re ready for more, I’ve created a meditation series to calm your mind, connect with your body, and help reset your nervous system to its natural state. No matter where you are, what you do, or what you’ve experienced with meditation, we both know that you have 10 minutes to dedicate to yourself and your wellbeing.
Let’s dive in!