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Can You Meditate While Driving?

March 27, 2023

The average American spends 52.2 minutes driving to and from work everyday. That’s 26 minutes you could be using to prepare for your day with a meditation and another 26 minutes on the way back from work to relax and destress with mindful practice. But is it dangerous to meditate in the car? Should you meditate while driving? The short answer is yes, you absolutely can meditate while driving. While not all forms of meditation can be practiced safely while driving, the simplest and safest way to meditate in the car is by being more aware and mindful. Is it safe to meditate while driving? Yes, it’s absolutely safe to meditate while you drive. Now you might not want to close your eyes and chant in the driver’s seat, but I think you already knew that. The amazing thing about mindfulness practice is that you can bring it into just about anything you do from walking to cooking, talking, and yes even driving. Focusing your awareness more deeply into the present moment, might actually make you a better driver. Being lost in thought and distracted is a great way to get yourself in trouble while driving, and mindful practice does the opposite of that. By bringing yourself more fully in the present not only will you reap the mental benefits that meditation has to offer, but you’ll be a more conscientious driver. You might be more distracted listening to a podcast or the radio than you would be meditating in the car. Mindful driving is quite literally the opposite of dangerous, so don’t think that by meditating you’ll be taking your focus off the road. Instead you’ll be focusing more on the drive and all the sensations that arise throughout the trip. You don’t need a self driving car to meditate while driving You might think that you need to have a fully automated or electric vehicle to be able to have the luxury of meditating in the car. Thankfully, meditation in the car is not just for those lucky individuals with self driving vehicles. You can bring mindfulness practice into the drive itself without impairing any of your driving abilities. Mindfulness won’t make it more difficult to navigate the road because in mindful meditation your focus is fully on what you’re doing. It’s no different from regular driving. All you’re doing differently is setting the intention to be fully present while you do it. Even if you did have a self driving car you’d still need to keep your hands on the wheel and pay attention, so this really wouldn’t help you in any way. What type of meditation is best for driving? The best type of meditation to practice while driving is the simplest and easiest form of meditation: mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is the practice of observing any and all sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise without judgement. Mindfulness is just the practice of increasing your overall awareness. This includes awareness of sights, sounds, feelings, breathing, and thoughts. Driving can be a great opportunity to practice mindfulness in a new setting. In the car things that I become aware of include: Another type of meditation that is great for driving is transcendental meditation. Transcendental meditation is the practice of focusing in on one sound in your environment. Anytime you find yourself lost in thought you simply bring your attention back to the sound of your choice. This could be focusing on the sound of the engine, the tires on the road, or the A/C or heat running through your car’s vents. > see my article “7 Best Types Of Meditation: Which Is Best For You?” What types of meditation should I avoid while driving? This might be self explanatory, but any type of meditation that involves closing your eyes or visualizing something else should not be practiced while driving. Any type of guided meditation, specifically ones that require closing your eyes just won’t work for the car unfortunately. Visualization meditations are also not a good idea as they can become distracting even if you keep your eyes on the road. It’s best to stick to meditations that allow you to focus your full attention on driving. If a meditation takes away your focus from the road it’s best to use it another time when you’re not in the car. Benefits of meditating in the car If you’re still considering if driving meditation is for you, then I’m happy to tell you there are a bunch of benefits to meditating while driving. If you’re nervous to give driving meditation a try here are a few of the benefits that mindful driving can bring: 1. Mindful driving is safer driving With a heightened sense of awareness comes greater focus. The focus and presence that mindful meditation can bring will actually help you drive more safely. You will be less distracted and more aware of everything around you and the car. With less distractions and increased focus there is less of a chance you’ll get in an accident and you’ll see any trouble on the road before it becomes an issue. 2. You’ll notice things on your drive you never noticed before Mindful driving can help you enjoy the ride more. As you drive with a greater focus and clarity you’ll be less in your head and more in the moment. As you tune into all the sights and sounds of your drive you might find yourself noticing cool things in the area you never noticed before. Maybe this is a new shop you never noticed, or a side road you find you want to explore later. 3. Cool down your road rage If you’re prone to road rage meditating while driving can help you cool your nerves. Believe me I know how stressful driving can be. I particularly hate driving in traffic and busy cities, but being mindfully aware can help you keep your cool and keep your stress at bay. Mindful practice can help you notice any

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7 Best Types of Meditation: Which is Best For You?

March 26, 2023

Take the free meditation quiz at the end to see what type of meditation is best for you You’ve heard it before, “you should try meditation, it’s so helpful!” and it’s true, meditation has so many wonderful benefits. But because there are so many different types of meditation out there it can begin to feel overwhelming and difficult to know where to start. Today we’re going to discuss the seven best types of meditation that can help you reduce stress, nurture your spirit and enhance your overall well-being. Today we’re going to cover these 7 types of meditation: The 7 Main Types of Meditation 1. Mindfulness Meditation Best for: Beginners The first type of meditation on our list is Mindfulness Meditation, which is all about being present in the moment. Mindfulness Meditation is based in non-judgmental observation. Mindfulness is simply observing any and all sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise and disappear. By practicing mindfulness you can start to create space between the noise in your life and what’s real in the present moment. This usually involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and learning to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness meditation is a great first meditation to do or learn because it is the basis of so many other meditations including those on this list. 2. Loving-Kindness Meditation Best for: Starting your day Loving-Kindness Meditation (aka Metta Meditation) is another powerful meditation that can help cultivate compassion and kindness in yourself and others. Metta meditation consists of connecting with your inner compassion and bestowing love onto yourself and those around you unconditionally. Metta meditation involves sending positive affirmations and wishes to yourself, your loved ones, and even to people who have hurt you in the past. This type of meditation can be particularly powerful and may be good for the beginning of the day to start it off with a loving mindset. Loving-kindness meditation is also a great and easy guided meditation to find online. 3. Transcendental Meditation Best for: Quieting the mind quickly Transcendental Meditation is a mantra-based meditation that involves repeating a specific sound or phrase to quiet the mind and achieve a state of deep relaxation. Some types of transcendental meditation include simply listening to a continuous sound rather than creating a sound. Either way, transcendental meditation is meant to focus your mind on a single thing (often times a sound or mantra) to help ground you in this moment and get you out of your head. This practice has been shown to reduce anxiety, reduce stress, and boost overall brain function. > see my article “Struggling To Meditate? 7 Common Issues And Their Solutions” 4. Somatic Meditation Best for: End of the day Somatic meditation is a meditation with a focus on the body. This type of meditation ties in mindfulness practice, but in this case the focus is on bodily sensations and relaxing the body. This is a great mediation to do at night as it releases the stress stored in your body from the day. Somatic meditation can be a powerful body relaxer. As the body relaxes and releases tension so too does the mind. Though this meditation begins in the body, it can be an incredibly great tool to relax and unwind your mind. There are a few different subtypes of somatic meditation such as: 5. Vipassana Meditation Best for: Spiritual seekers Vipassana Meditation is a Buddhist practice that originated in India. Vipassana involves observing your thoughts, sensations, and emotions with a non-judgmental attitude. The purpose of this type of meditation is to help you see reality as it truly is. This type of meditation can help you gain insight into the nature of reality and reduce suffering by developing a greater awareness and understanding of yourself and the world. This is a particularly powerful meditative technique for those seeking spiritual awakening or spiritual enlightenment. Vipassana has been known to give it’s practitioners countless insights and help deepen their spiritual practice. > see my article “20 Signs Of Spiritual Awakening & How To Know You’re Waking Up” 6. Yoga Meditation Best for: People who struggle to sit still Yoga Meditation combines physical postures with breathwork and meditation to achieve a state of relaxation and inner peace. This type of meditation not only benefits your physical health but also helps you connect with your inner self and cultivate mindfulness. Mindful yoga practice is perfect for people who don’t like traditional meditation. People who struggle with sitting still or focusing their mind can find yoga practice to be a great alternative to nourish their spirit and relax. 7. Guided Meditation Best for: When you’re unmotivated Guided meditation is a much more passive type of meditation where someone else guides you through the process. Guided meditations can be very diverse in nature and are often another good option for beginners. The instructor or guide in the meditation reminds you to come back to your practice as our minds tend to wander by themselves. This is a perfect option for individuals who want to keep up their meditation habit but struggle to motivate themselves to meditate on their own. YouTube has thousands of free guided meditations, so you’ll never run out of quality guided meditations in any format. > see my articles “How To Lead A Great Guided Meditation” & “The 5 Best Meditation Teacher Training Certifications Of 2023” Conclusion So there you have it, the 7 best types of meditation that can help you reduce stress, nurture your spirit and enhance your overall well-being. I encourage you to try a couple of these out, as each one may not be for everyone. Try a few and see which resonates most with you and your lifestyle. Remember, the most important thing is to approach meditation with an open mind. If you find you like meditation, try to establish a meditation routine to build a habit of relaxing and nurturing your spirit for the

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Struggling To Meditate? 7 Common Issues And Their Solutions

February 25, 2023

Meditation is great right? Until you end up cross-legged on the floor stressing yourself out over not being able to focus. This can often leave you feeling frustrated, restless, or even doubtful during your meditation practice. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Meditation can be a challenging practice, especially when you’re just starting out. There are a few common reasons why people struggle with meditation, and luckily, we have the solutions to help you overcome them. Today, we’re going to explore seven of the most common reasons why people struggle to meditate and give you some practical solutions to help deepen your practice and find more peace. 7 Common Meditation Struggles 1. “Am I doing it right?” You may be thinking that there is a right or wrong way to meditate. And if there is a right way to meditate, then you definitely don’t want to do it wrong! Thankfully, there is no right way to meditate. You may want to focus or clear your mind, but the truth is that meditative practice can be whatever you want it to be. In fact, there is even a meditation technique called the “do nothing technique” where you sit and let your mind wander to whatever it wants to think about. Try to leave all expectations of your meditation session at the door before you begin. Your expectations of what “ought” to be done in a meditation session may make you self-conscious and frustrated when you find your mind wandering. As long as you’re taking a few minutes to 2. You can’t stop thinking Many people think that meditation means that they have to clear their mind of all thoughts, and they must be doing it wrong if thoughts keep popping up. However, thoughts aren’t something to be afraid of or avoided in meditation. Instead of judging yourself when thoughts arise and trying to force them out, try accepting your thoughts and allowing them to pass through your mind. Meditation is about accepting the present moment fully and allowing all sensations, thoughts, and feelings to arise and pass away. Your only job is to notice everything that comes up. When a thought comes up just try to notice it, but don’t resist it. There is always another thought to be had, and trying to control them is just going to leave you feeling frustrated. When you start to allow your thoughts to come and go as they please without judgment, you can start to take a step back from them. 3. You feel bored Boredom is a very common problem during meditation. Sometimes it can feel like you’re just sitting there, doing nothing, and your mind starts to wander off to all the other things you could be doing. One of the best things you can do if you’re feeling bored during meditation is to approach your meditation practice with curiosity and openness to whatever arises. If there is boredom, just notice your boredom like you would any other emotion or thought. Just like you would notice any feelings of anxiety or sadness during meditation you can notice your boredom too. It is just another feeling after all. You can also experiment with different types of meditation, such as guided meditations or mantra meditations to help keep your mind engaged and focused. 4. Not feeling motivated to meditate Feeling unmotivated to meditate can be particularly frustrating for people trying to establish a meditation habit. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and feel like you don’t have time to meditate or that it’s not worth the effort. If you don’t feel motivated to meditate, don’t beat yourself up, this is a very common problem. Remember why you got into meditation in the first place. Reestablish your “why”. Maybe you want to improve your focus, become more patient with loved ones, or release stress from your day. The benefits of meditation really are innumerable. If sitting down in unmoving silence just seems completely unappealing to you, you luckily have other options. The awesome thing about mindful practice is that you can apply it to just about any area of your life. Try mindfully making a meal. Pay close attention and focus your awareness on every vegetable chopped, the sound of the water boiling, or the taste of the delicious meal you just made. Another one of my favorite meditative mindfulness practices is going for a walk. Take a mindful walk and make an intention to be present and mindful of everything that you hear, see, and feel during it. 5. You can’t stay awake Sometimes meditation can leave you feeling so relaxed that you end up falling asleep! This happens more often than you think. The time of day that you meditate will affect how sleepy you are and the likelihood that you’ll fall asleep during your meditation. Some people will actually meditate at night on purpose to help them fall asleep, but if you’re not trying to fall asleep I’d recommend earlier in the day. Morning meditations can be a great way to start your day with a clear mind. Afternoon or midday meditations are also a great alternative to those sleepy nighttime meditations to help you take a break from your day. If you have trouble staying awake during a meditation make sure to check your posture. You’re much more likely to fall asleep if you’re meditating lying down. Try meditating in a chair or upright on the floor to stay alert and awake for the duration of your meditation. 6. Feeling frustrated or irritated Feeling irritation and frustration during meditation is very common. Whether it’s directed at yourself, the meditation or the environment around you frustration can keep you from relaxing and enjoying the benefits of mindfulness. Anger is a common emotion and like all other emotions that arise during meditative practice, we should begin to deal with it just by becoming aware of it. Notice your frustration as it arises and just hold it in

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