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In a recent post, we talked about the importance of cultivating mindfulness. This practice aims for a state of mental quietness, stillness, and awareness. One way to incorporate these three essential elements is through meditation.
Even today the practice of meditation seems foreign for most. Those who understand its benefits still perceive it as quite inaccessible. It’s even less appealing for those who have an innate drive to always be on the move, or for the creatives that believe they have to always be doing more. The inactivity of meditation seems to counter everything they know about entrepreneurial ambitions.
There's nothing wrong about actively pursuing more of what leads to passions and dreams. But we can't be always dreaming with open eyes. Sometimes we have to shut off, shut down, let loose, let go. Share on XWe have to remember that we are creative entrepreneurs, but creatives first and foremost. We’re driven by an intricate balance of reason and emotion. We work with intangible inspiration. The thinking mind and the creative soul have to find harmonious ways to align and mingle for this process to take place.
Remember, creativity is flaky. It needs its space. If we pressure and overwhelm it, it’ll stop talking to us.
So, as much as the creative mind needs a break from the comings and goings of everyday life, the creative soul needs to breathe and reconnect with itself, to remind the mind of its purpose. That might happen as we engage in exciting, fast-paced experiences when all our senses are bombarded with sounds, colors, and tastes. But more often than not, after those types of experiences are over, the power of meditation is what brings it all together.
Here’re 5 ways to harness the power of meditation:
1. Creative Sanctuary. Find that quiet corner/space where you can give your creative soul a rest. Maybe it’s inside your home, your garden, or maybe you find it in a nearby park, or at the beach.
2. Schedule Me-Time. (MEditation time) The only way to make meditation a habit is by setting a time to practice each day. Then, after you’ve experienced the benefits, you can re-schedule with more flexibility.
3. Go Mobile. There are free apps that guide you through the process. That means you can practice on the go when the moment feels right, or the break is truly needed. You can also “go mobile” in the sense of practicing meditation while walking. It’s possible if you pick a safe environment, like a park, the lakeshore or a walking track.
4. Just Breathe. If you have time, energy and inspiration to work on just one single thing, focus on breathing. Our breath is the beginning. As we do it automatically we take it for granted, we are not mindful of the choppy way we breathe or not breathe. As we hold our breath, we hold everything else.
5. Yoga it! A Yoga practice is a less mystical way to incorporate meditation into our everyday life. It also helps to think that we’re being efficient at hitting two birds with one stone, sneaking in a little low-impact physical exercise.
All of these strategies are part of our meditation practice. It’s challenging, but not impossible. It takes discipline, but it’s worth it!
We’ve begun trying out the app Calm. What other meditation apps have you tried and recommend?
#ThinkForward
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