Guide

Inner peace and doughnut dreams

30.3.2020

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

It’s day eight of my self-experiment. Sitting still and doing nothing is harder than I thought. But with a bit of practice and the following pro tips, I now find meditating a lot easier.

The elastic waist of my leggings is cutting into my belly fat; the label at the back is itchy. «Ignore it!» the voice inside my head orders. Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. But I can’t stop myself from fiddling with my legwear. Once again, I try to focus on Carina Iten’s calm voice and follow her instructions. Due to the current situation, I’ve signed up for a 21-day online course in morning meditation via Zoom. I’m almost used to my new rhythm. I get up, take a shower, meditate and then proceed to the kitchen table to start work.

By the way, I explain why I decided to go through with this experiment in the first place in my first post about it (currently only available in German):

Guide
Ohmmm
by Natalie Hemengül

The beginning and hopefully no end in sight

According to Carina, 21 days is what it takes for my body to get used to a new routine. I consider my stressful starts to the day one of my life’s biggest trouble spots. What I’d really love is a calm, focussed morning routine. Will meditation help?

Before I start the course, I fill in a questionnaire. Carina wants to know if I have any experience meditating, what I hope to gain from the course, how much time I’m willing to invest and if I have any physical ailments that might limit me. My answers will allow her give me extra support with tips and advice according to my specific needs.

The course introduces a slightly different type of meditation every day. This gives participants the chance to find positions and techniques that work best for them. On top of that, I’m given a weekly mindfulness task. The first task is a stroll outdoors – alone, of course.

My meditation partner is a dehydrated plant.

The framework

I learn more about myself from day to day. It turns out, I like breathing meditations. Body scan exercises, on the other hand, bore me. I seem incapable of perceiving individual parts of my body. My meditation setting has also gradually changed. Meanwhile, I’ve set up in a sunny corner of my home, which is now my dedicated meditating space. At first, I was using my comfortable sofa. You’re free to do this, of course. However, I decided to take on board Carina’s advice and carry out my daily routine in an area that’s only used for that purpose.

Position
You can meditate lying down, sitting up or even while standing or walking. Personally, the lotus position works best for me. «Make sure your legs aren’t crossed to avoid pressure points. Try bending your lower legs slightly offset to each other so that both are completely in contact with the floor,» Carina Iten explains to us participants via video chat. Your pelvis should be slightly elevated to avoid your legs going numb. That’s why I bought myself a yoga cushion to sit on. «Anyone with knee problems should avoid the lotus position or sitting back on your legs with your feet tucked underneath your buttocks. Try sitting on a chair instead with your feet placed flat on the ground,» Carina recommends.

If you adopt a good sitting position from the beginning, you’re less likely to move and be distracted during meditation. Comfortable clothing is also an advantage. If there’s nothing pinching or scratching you, focussing is easier. Various hand gestures, so-called mudras, are part of your position. I’m taught that they all have different meanings. For starters, however, it’s fine to simply place the palms of your hands on your knees. Once you’re more experienced, you can start experimenting with different hand positions.

Yoga + Pilates accessories

Yogistar Yoga

Sounds and objects
I’m also working on the ambiance. The first few times, I play meditation music Carina gave me while listening to her voice. After a while, I feel like something new. I find inspiration on Spotify and YouTube. «If you’re a beginner, I’d avoid going for songs with vocals, as they can be quite distracting. Sounds of nature such as the twittering of birds or the splashing of water are also very suitable,» explains Carina.

Little helpers, including scent diffusors, essential oils, candles, crystals and pictures, might give you additional support. Personally, I really like the scented candles by Woodwick. Their special wick imitates the crackling sound of a fire. The sound relaxes me. Finally, I also get to use all my crystals. But remember, you don’t need any of these props to meditate.

Scented candles

CHF27.90

WoodWick Linen

453.60 g

Make a note

Each morning meditation is followed by a small writing exercise. I’m using my badly neglected diary to keep a journal of my experiences. It’s where I’m jotting down my feelings as well as my physical well-being before, during and after meditation. Any thoughts and distractions are also recorded in the journal. This will help me see my progress and thinking patterns later on.

All of a sudden, the image of my friends holding a huge box of doughnuts under my nose popped up in my mind’s eye.

Journal excerpt, 25.03.2020

There’s a solution for every problem

Meditating is no different to sports. How I feel on the day either makes meditating easier or harder. Some days I’m very tired. To prevent me from falling asleep, Carina recommends sitting in an upright position and showering before my meditation session. The colder the better. Washing your face with cold water also helps. «I drink a glass of water with lemon in it right after getting up. This refills my water reserves. The lemon has an invigorating effect. You can also try eating something light. This will stop a rumbling stomach from distracting you,» Carina adds.

Other methods to fully wake up involve physical exercises such as gently tapping your chest with your knuckles. A pick-me-up that works well for me is a shower followed by a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, which I extract from the oranges by means of physical activity. If you’re still not warming to morning meditations, you might be more of an evening meditation person.

Even if my eyes are shut during meditation, I like surrounding myself with objects that mean something to me.

If you don’t live alone, sooner or later you’ll be distracted by sounds or and noise. According to Carina, communication is essential in those situations. Tell your flatmates at what times you’d appreciate them keeping it down a bit. «This is particularly important at the beginning. Over time, you’ll learn to fully direct your focus inwards and block out any distractions. And that’s precisely what meditating is about. As a visual aid, picture a soap bubble enveloping your head,» says the expert.

The length of the meditation can be challenging at first. «At first, concentrating for long periods of time can prove tricky for many people. That’s why we start off by doing ten minutes a day and slowly increase that timespan over a few weeks. Besides, not everyone has the same amount of time available,» Carina explains. «The important thing is not to give up immediately if your head or body aren’t doing what you want them to. Localise problems and disturbances and look for a solution that suits you.» And that’s precisely what I’ll be doing for the remaining thirteen days. In any case, my leggings with their tight rubber waistband will no longer be used as a meditation outfit.

What’s to come:
After 21 days, I’ll be drawing my conclusion: has the experiment been worthwhile or will I fall back into my old habits? Find out in my next post.

Carina Iten is a meditation coach who offers various workshops and courses on modern meditation and mindfulness in Zurich via Tender Mind.

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Natalie Hemengül

Senior Editor

Natalie.Hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.ch

As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.

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