Chill Out this Summer!

Sitting still has never been a strong point of mine. Even while getting a massage, I tend to fidget. This is likely why I have always had a strong aversion to meditation. As you can imagine, meditation and massage are often synonymous with one another. I assure you, that is not the case in my world; or is it?
This past weekend, I had the honor of presenting at the Florida State Massage Therapy Association annual conference. It is one of our industries most attended events. I spent several hours teaching classes, and the remainder was spent working on the exhibit hall floor demonstrating different kinesiology taping applications. As I looked around the vast exhibit hall, I couldn’t help but see the fusion of massage chairs and other apparatus partnered with virtual reality glasses, music and even people walking on other people while listening to music and wearing VR glasses.

When I gazed upon a booth, a woman caught my eye and asked me if I would like to sit and meditate for a while. I laughed and said, “How does one do that with all these distractions?”
Now her booth was absent of any of the other bells and whistles I mentioned. It consisted of just three chairs. Top be honest, I’m not exactly certain what, if anything, she was trying to sell me.

She asked me if I meditate regularly. I told her, “The voices in my head never seem to shut up long enough for me to close my eyes to do so.” She of coursed laughed, and proceed to tell me that there is more than one way to meditate and I likely do so daily without realizing it.

“Mediation”, she said, “is simply a way of clearing your mind of thoughts that are distracting. Classic meditation is thought of as sitting with your eyes closed and controlling your breath. Other forms of meditation achieve the same lowering of the heart rate and relaxed breathing, without the stress of trying to do so.”

“Like what?” I said.

She said, “Like the way you spent the last 20 minutes applying that tape to that woman. You looked completely relaxed and comfortable and were in a zone where you were un-phased by your surroundings. I know this, because I was staring at you from 30 feet away and you never once waivered. There is more than one way to meditate. Without even knowing, you have figured out how to do this without even trying to.”

She went on to explain the varying degrees of meditation and how more focused forms of meditation can achieve a heightened experience. But was quick to point out that I should stop denying that I already do and perhaps this knowledge will allow me to overcome the initial barrier of “I can’t”.

Like I said, I don’t recall what she was selling, but I walked away with a valuable lesson. Do you have trouble meditating? Is there something that you focus on that you may now consider as a form of meditating? I’m going to make an effort this summer to meditate more. Will you try too?

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