How Do You Meditate When Commuting To Work?
Whether you drive to work, are a passenger, or even use public transport, commuting to work can sometimes leave you feeling less than relaxed and peaceful.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Meditation can be done anytime and anywhere. I know because that’s what I have learned to do. Sure, when I first started out meditating I did it in the comfort and serenity of my home environment. In fact, it quickly became part of my standard morning ritual.
However, I soon discovered that there were countless times during the day that I wish I was in a meditative state instead of feeling stressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed. That’s when it dawned on me that I could start applying meditation techniques regardless of where I was, or what I was doing.
The first place I decided to expand my meditations into was while commuting to work. As I took the train to work it made sense to me that it would be a relatively simple step to take.
At first, I found it a little challenging as I had to adapt to being in a busy environment that was filled with constant noise, disruptions, and demands on your time and space. Then I had to decide which meditation technique would suit best.
How to Meditate Properly While Commuting
As I love to do mantra meditation I decided to use it while commuting. The problem was almost as soon as I closed my eyes I would fall into a deep meditation. This made staying aware of my environment quite challenging and often I would be jolted back to my body only to realize I’d missed my stop.
That’s when I decided to use mindfulness meditation instead. As soon as I started practicing being mindful during my commute to work the benefits were obvious. Not only did I arrive feeling cool, calm and collected, but I also got to have a more fun along the way.
Here are some of my best tips for meditating while commuting to work:
1. Start with being present.
Mindfulness is all about bringing your awareness back to the present moment, over and over again. It’s normal for the mind to get distracted by things and that’s okay. All you need to do is notice the distraction and accept it. Then, simply remind yourself to be present again.
2. Include everything that happens.
While some people may think that meditation is all about being off with the fairies and trying to block out what’s going on inside or around you, it’s quite the opposite. When you include every sight, sound, smell, or physical sensation that you experience during your commute as part of your meditation practice, then it makes meditating a breeze.
3. Use your body as a point of reference.
It can really help you to meditate easier when you use your body to stay present. The reason for this is because your body exists totally within the moment. The same can’t be said of the mind. It lives in either the past or the future.
To bring the mind into the present means it needs to stop thinking, which it really doesn’t like to do. That’s why just by focusing your attention on your breath as it comes in and out of your body it helps to keep bringing you back to the present moment.
4. Expand your awareness.
Notice the way your body moves when you walk, the sounds that you can hear around you, and anything else that comes into your awareness. Here’s what helps to take the stress out of what’s going on around you – be non-judgmental.
If someone bumps into you – just notice it and then come back to being present. If you are feeling rushed – just notice it and then come back to being present. If someone is being loud or rude – just notice it and then come back to being present. The less judgment you have on what goes on around you, the more peaceful you will feel.
Hopefully, this has given you a taste of just how simple it can be to meditate while commuting to work. But it doesn’t have to stop there. Once you feel comfortable meditating while in transit, then stretch yourself a little more and see where else you can take it in your everyday life.
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Michael Atma
Meditation Dojo Blog
Skype: michaelatma
Email: Michael@MichaelAtma.com
“I Teach You how to live a Happier, Healthier and More Fulfilling Life Through Meditation!”
