Let the meditation flow

Meditation is the art of stoping the mind from analyzing, and just experiencing what is. Most people are used to meditating in quiet, perhaps in a darkened room, maybe with a nice new-agey pan-pipe classicsy CD playing.

But meditation can be more than this.

Most people say, that you probably shouldn't meditate when driving.

But when you're driving, what are you doing: well, you're probably worrying about the day ahead, fuming about the driver who cut you up at the lights and listening to the music on the radio. The one thing you're not doing is actually experiencing the driving.

So today I tried an experiment. I decided just to drive. I decided to only pay attention to what was currently going on while I was driving. And it was an interesting experience.

Because it was much like meditation.

As I drove, I paid attention to the road. To the feeling of bumps, to what the other cars were doing around me. To everything I could experience about the present. I didn't worry about whether there might be a traffic jam in 10 minutes time, nor did I pay any attention to any driver who was no longer near me. There was just the driving. And the not driving (which is what happened at traffic lights).

And, while I was doing this, non-driving thoughts came into my head, and I let them go away (without much judgement), just like I do when I meditate. And then thoughts about the process of "there just being the driving" came into my head. And it took me a little more time to notice them, and a little more effort to let go of them - just like it does when I meditate.

The processes were the same. The behaviours were the same. It wasn't dangerous, because I was all about the driving - I was more aware and more able to react than usual.

And it was more fun than driving usually is, because I was all there. It was similar to how I feel when I get into the zone writing, or computer programming, or talking with friends. I was wholely there, in the present, doing one thing and one thing only with my mind.

This is what psychologists call flow.

But it was more than flow. It was meditation.

What parts of your life can you meditate on? Can you turn something boring into something all-absorbing because you put your complete attention onto it - after all, in meditation you put your attention onto breathing and repetative mantras, why shouldn't filling in a payroll or hoovering the carpet be just as valuable and flow just as well?

Six tricks to help you meditate

All my reading seems to indicate that people think meditation is important and good for you. And for many years I've tried various forms of meditation, but none of them have stuck. Until I discovered a few tricks

1: You want to clear your mind: the easiest way to do this is to pay attention to your body: Your mind can only hold between 5 and 7 ideas at the same time - if one of them is your breathing, and another four are the feelings in your hands and feet, then you are well on your way to not having space to be distracted by other thoughts

2: John Gray suggests lying down and holding your hands above shoulder height. This absolutely helps you pay attention to them

3: A mantra is another thing you can pay attention to. Frankly a mantra can be anything, but I'm quite keep on John Grays "Oh Great Universe, my heart is open, please come into it and sit in it

4: When you have a thought that distracts you from the meditation, that isn't bad. Its natural. Just notice that you're thinking about it, and let it go away.

5: Sometimes thoughts come back again and again: did you leave the gas on? How long have you been at this now? Was that a noise downstairs? if this happens, stop meditating and go and have a look. These thoughts will only keep distracting you if you don't. There is no law that says how long you have to meditate for, or that you can't take a break in the middle.

6: Try buzzing while meditating. Its fun.

Free Legal Buzz!

You often don't know you're happy until it stops. But this can be overcome. By buzzing, you can enjoy those times when you are happy, and (with practise) edge yourself out of darker moods.

Start on a day when you're feeling OK. You don't have to feel great, just wait until you're not down or stressed or tired. Sit down somewhere comfortable and relax

Smile. Just a small smile. And imagine something that makes you happy. Something cute - a favourite small child or a basket of puppies. Feel the smile it brings to your lips. And pay attention to the rest of your body: what does that feel like? Do you feel a tingling sensation anywhere: perhaps in your finger or toes, or maybe in your cheeks? Pay attention to that feeling. Enjoy it. And begin to smile more. Paying more and more attention to the buzzing, tingling feeling. Feel that feeling move and grow.

Now smile even more. A big smile - a smile anyone looking at you would find ridiculous. Have fun with it - gurn with all your heart. All the time, pay attention to your body - pay attention to haw smiling and feeling happy feels.

Now hold onto it, and enjoy it for as long as you can.

This is buzzing. With practise you can do it, not only in a comfortable chair, but while waiting for a bus, or while walking along the road. Buzzing can even lift you out of a bad mood (sometimes), and when you're in a good mood, boy do you notice it more.