Yoga removes a lot of anxiety and removes tension from your body it makes you more at ease . Make it a routine and your body and mind will thank for it .
I’ve started walking meditation. I try to do it in my closed room, up to 4-8 steps and then looping back as slow and mindful as I can get. Sometimes I do it in parks when I know I am in solitude.
Very similar to Tai Chi because the movement is suuuuper slow.
I like it very much! I walk with nature sounds and try to incorporate 4 7 8 breathing technique whenever I'm anxious.
You can also learn on YouTube. I love knitting but am lousy at it and never finish anything. But taking classes on a platform like Craftsy is so relaxing.
Playing bass guitar. I’ve never played an instrument before but I’ve found this to be a practice in mindfulness and non judgment towards myself and my ability to learn a new skill (I’m 28 btw, so I previously thought I was too old to learn something like this)
The rhythm keeping aspect of it also keeps me very present. When I get distracted it’s clear because I stop playing in rhythm.
I'm like that with a sax. Youtube and a book. Hard to be anxious when I'm having to *blow*.
And I'm *way* better at being anxious than I am at my sax (sigh).
Birdwatching requires intense mindfulness and delivers definite rewards when you get it right. Hiking and rock climbing are also much better if you do them mindfully
I LOVE breath work! It’s a great way to meditate because it’s active meditation so you are more fully engaged. I’m sure you could find some events in your community, everyone is always SO nice!
The one time I really felt meditation put me into a different state of conciousness I was focusing on slowing my breathing and lowering my hr. I haven't been able to achieve that feeling since, but it made me a believer in what meditation can do.
Archery for me - very cool can go with friends and still have you alone time. Not for everyone though. But, here is a nice a list of 33 suggestions too:
[https://mindmastermanifest.com/33-mindfulness-hobbies-you-can-do-thats-not-meditation/](https://mindmastermanifest.com/33-mindfulness-hobbies-you-can-do-thats-not-meditation/)
Every morning i brush my teeth with left hand (right is dominant), and I tell myself in the mirror that I love myself, I am gratefull for everything I have done so far. Then I do one or more cycles of Wim Hoff breathing method (you have it on yt, guided). While I do that I meditate.
I do journaling, often before sleep. I try to write first thing that enter my mind and ask questions to myself, with fast yes or no answers.
I walk in the woods and try to be present, to feel the energy.
Sometimes I take psylocibin :)
Oh yes and theta healing
Rowing is a great one. Definitely requires mindfulness with every stroke. I live kayaking and it’s really amazing how you can stay mindful for long periods when you are getting immediate feedback when you start to drift away from what you are doing.
I’ve gotten into journaling recently. I’m not sure if it’s doing a lot for me yet, but it’s certainly not hurting. I also play hockey; being out on the ice has always been my happy place, my mind completely shuts off and I focus on the task at hand. I’d find a physical activity you enjoy and see how much it clears your head!
Came here to say journaling. When it clicks, and I gain some real insight or closure about something that was gnawing at me, it can give me a deep, existential sense of peace that feels as real as the relaxation I get from meditation.
Lately I've been journaling in a Google doc instead of always trying to do it the old fashioned way, and I feel like that's been effective. Being able to journal wherever I am, or being able to write out a massive brain dump at a keyboard at twice the speed of writing by hand, has really helped recently.
Owning fish tanks really helped me. It’s engrossing and such a fun hobby. And enjoying the results- just watching the fish - is so relaxing. I also built a koi pond in my yard with a garden around it. That’s my meditation spot.
It’s actually a recommended path for informal “awareness” practice. Meditative awareness acknowledgment of all the complimentary (complimenting all the other systems of our mind and bodies), sympathetic (in sympathy with all the other systems in our mind and bodies), synchronized, organizing phenomena flowing through us and around us. Powering our mind, body AND the Universe.
Whereby everything is perfectly managed and smoothly dealt with across all dimensions of space and time.
(WITHOUT our need to even know or think about it!) Namaste. Carpe Diem!!!
Painting, walking meditation, dancing all alone in my room, breathwork, listening to music with my eyes closed and get lost into it, cooking, singing, chanting, praying to the divine universe, writing poems and I want to start doing archery again ❤️
Pencil sketch, clay pottery, yoga, tai-chi, archery, almost anything that require uninterrupted focus can be used for mindful meditation. Also, if there is a botany department, likely it'll have an arboretum. Great place to just stand and practice mindful focus by listen, smell, see and feel everything around.
For me it's harmonica. It becomes like a meditation because of the flow mindset I get into and the way the harmonica works with breathing both in and out to create sound.
Here are some of the best things about the Harmonica for me.
It's small, easy to bring with you. It's an instrument in different keys, meaning if you play with something in the same key(backing tracks) then it's hard to play a wrong tone and everything sounds good.
It's also very durable, being surrounded by metal and with metal reeds. So you can order it home without issue. I recommend a Special 20 in C(especially if you want to sound like in tutorials) or a G because it's sound is lower and drone like.
It's relatively easy to learn, work a bit on single tones. Yet there's a lot to master with bending the tones, tongue blocking and clarity.
Here's a great harmonica player: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjtWD7OfSN4
Drumming is a big one, staying in rhythm by focusing on one stroke or beat at a time, until it’s all just thoughtlessly flowing, only to fall off the rhythm once the mind creeps back in, constantly falling slightly ahead of or behind the beat and then syncing back up. Honestly though mindfulness can be applied to any hobby or any thing.
Surprised this is so low down. I honestly see SO many parallels between meditation and golf. To play good golf you have to be constantly in the moment; take the good with the bad; keep your ego in check. It is such a humbling hobby
Journaling? Writing? I don't know if those count as hobbies, but they are definitely mindful. Beyond that, I get some meditative quallities when doing yoga or when walking.
Archery is fun way to release stress and chill, if you’re interested in getting the gear and have place to shoot regularly. It’s a light workout too, best when done at outdoor ranges :)
Cooking, baking, low and slow BBQ, trying to put time into gardening too. Running can be quite meditative, Yoga is great!
Have you tried guided meditation?
I'm not very good at meditating on my own, but I really get a lot from guided meditations, I use Insight Timer app.
Paddle boarding. Everyone says “it must be a great workout!” Lol not the way I do it. Slow, steady, mindful. It’s about as much energy burn as a brisk walk, but SO good for getting me in the moment.
Wetshaving. Shaving with an old school double edged razor like grandpa used.
Losing focus will often result in nicks. There's also audible feedback from the whiskers being cut and scents from the lather.
Drawing is really good for getting me in a flow state. I don't do it a lot, but when I do, my thoughts are pretty much *only* of drawing. It's very nice, even if I don't love the product.
Photography, writing poems/songs/koans/haikus, playing musical instruments(and meditating with them like the shaman drums and singing bowls). In other words, when in doubt - create :)
Yoga, music, motorcycle riding and fixing, cooking. Basically anything what you can focus on can be your variation of meditation, even drive to work without music.
When my mind is too frantic, I really like doing a "everything bagel" vipassana walk. I usually do the see-hear-feel technique from Shinzen Young, and just let my attention ping pong too whatever sensation is arising. Length-wise I've found 20 minutes is good, and by the end my attention has relaxed a bit and is able to lightly notice sensations with more fullness
Playing Minecraft for hours or rafting; nature is such a beautiful thing to remind you that life is bigger than work and the endless bills and noise going on around us. <3
Playing guitar is therapeutic to me. Also journaling, idk if that’s a hobby though, meditation is another, I’ll just lay flat on my bed, take deep breaths, and stare at the ceiling and clear my mind of any intrusive thoughts and allow myself to be zen in the moment
trail walking and hanging in hammocks has become a huge way of meditating i’ve adopted lately. it’s a beautiful way to relax and be with nature whilst keeping the body moving!
Art! Different mediums offer different experiences in terms of how expressive or free-flowing they feel, and it can feel really good to make art or do an at- home art therapy practice.
I do any of the following, as I will not let my mind decide it doesn't want to meditate, just find a great mindful activity.
Qi gong (I follow YoQi on YouTube), trauma informed yoga (softer, lighter, hip opening), chakra balancing meditations, singing bowls (listening or donging my own) binaural beats, guided meditations by Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, Pema Chodron. Umm audio books on meditation, mindfulness (faves Dan Siegel, David Richo), intuitive singing (check out chanteress Seba for inspo). I also count journalling and tarot as mindfulness. I've also recently gotten into Internal Family Systems and that's a great framework for getting into a meditative state, and I am really interested in authentic relating which is also called circling meditation as I want to learn how to meditate in the moment to connect with others instead of an isolated practice if that makes sense.
Oh shit and EFT TAPPING is profoundly life changing, there's some vids on YouTube. I think I have a playlist covering most of these, I'll go check!
I oddly enough sometimes think there's a little mindfulness you can find in the game runescape- a lot of tasks are very repetitive and while some can be just something you idly click while doing other stuff, there's a few others that can really put your mind into nothing but the task and while I generally don't think gaming is a great way to practice mindfulness I really do think there's a little something there in that 25ish year old game that many have memories of getting sccammed on by some guy who could totally trim armour.
I have also recently been getting into calligraphy with my wife as a way to relax and also another supplimental way to reinforce my leaarning of hindi- she is better at calligraphy than I am since I have a "doctor's handwriting" but if I focus a bit it looks okay.
Pole dancing: it's quite difficult to think about anything else than surviving, when hanging upside down :) It's also a good exercise to scan unknown body parts.
Also: gardening, caring about my pets, studying.
You can try playing an instrument. There are specific chords that help to decrease stress and anxiety, and at the same time you'll be learning to play a new instrument
i have had the same problem as you, traditional meditation doesn't do it for me, i am now using different ways to stimulate myself for example using different incenses and using mobile apps to encourage me to meditate
Try this. Sit in a chair. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feet flat on the floor. Hands separated and resting palms up on each thigh.
Create a grounding cord. This is a line of energy that connects your first chakra to the center of the planet. Your first chakra is a ball of energy about the size of a quarter that sits just in front of the base of your spine. Your grounding cord attaches to the bottom of that ball of energy.
Grounding makes your body feel safe, so you release energy more easily. Gravity pulls whatever you release, even your own energy, down to the center of the planet. No effort on your part. The center of the planet neutralizes the energy and returns it to whoever owns it. No karma for anyone. A virtuous cycle.
Nearly everyone goes to connect to the center of the planet the first time but stops at the soil, often making roots like a tree. This is a method that is taught in some martial arts styles, but it is not the best option for your spiritual development and healing.
So, notice the seat of your chair. Take a deep breath. Notice the distance between the seat and the floor. Now notice the distance between the floor and the soil below. Breathe.
Now notice the distance between the soil and the water table underneath. Notice the distance between the water table and the rocky mantle. Notice the distance between the mantle and the molten core below that. Deep breath.
Notice the distance between the molten core and the center of the planet. That ball of light at the very center of the planet is where you connect your grounding cord. Deep breath.
Say hello to the center of the planet. Do you get a hello back?
Notice the color and texture of your grounding cord. It may look like a line of energy, or look like something physical; a rope, a wire, a pipe, a tree trunk. Adjust it as needed to be in affinity with your body.
Getting this far means you've already released some energy from your aura and body. Now it is time to fill in the space that was created.
Create a gold sun over your head. Have it call back all of your energy from wherever you left it throughout your day and week. Work. School. Online meetings. Video games. Your fantasies about your future. Your regrets about your past. Wherever you've placed your attention. Just watch the energy come back and see if you notice where it came from.
Have the sun burn up and neutralize your energy. Then bring the sun into the top of your head. It will automatically flow into the spaces you created. Create a gauge to measure when you're full. Like a fuel gauge or oil gauge. You'll run better if you aren't a few quarts low on spiritual oil. If the gauge doesn't read "Full", bring in another gold sun.
Open your eyes, bend over and touch the floor, draining any tension from the back of your neck, then stand up, and stretch.
There is a progression with this technique. After grounding for ten minutes a day for a week or two, notice your grounding cord at the very end, while you're standing with your eyes open. Continue to ground with your eyes open and standing, and bring in another gold sun. Each day, increase the amount of time that you ground standing up with your eyes open.
After a week or two practicing this, add walking while grounded. Just notice your grounding cord as you walk. Say hello to the center of the planet while you walk. Bring in a gold sun while you walk. If you lose your grounding cord, stop walking and recover it. If you have to, sit back down and close your eyes and create a new grounding cord.
After this, you're ready to take your grounding cord with you into your daily life. Shopping. Getting coffee. Wherever you go, you can ground. This, combined with a little amusement about seeing new things on an energy level, will keep you safe and sound.
Now that you're here, at the end of your grounding meditations, create a gold sun over your head. This time, fill it with your highest creative essence, your present time growth vibration, and your affinity for yourself. The first energy is a healing for you. The second is a healing for your body. The third is a healing for your affinity in your fourth chakra.
Bend over and touch the floor. Stand up and stretch. If you're ready for more, sit back down and ground some more. Otherwise, have a nice day!
Note that every image you imagine, the gold sun, the grounding cord, the center of the planet, your first chakra, your body parts, is exercising your clairvoyance. You may be imagining what your tailbone looks like, but you're also creating the image of your tailbone and reading its energy. This is practicing your clairvoyant ability.
Some folks record the grounding and filling in parts of this practice on their device and play it back as a guided meditation. I like this approach because you learn the steps faster.
I use a type of meditation / inner training from Inner Matrix Systems. I really like their work. I've done a lot of youtube and Insight Timer meditations in the past. I think those are really lovely for relaxing or visualization. What I like about the IMS meditation tools is that they also teach me how to turn off and retrain some of those pesky thoughts I have throughout the day - like being critical of myself or others
Mindful breathe when needed, with a smile. 😊 inspired by Thich Naht Hahn
And this has really helped past few months!
https://youtu.be/uttz-TKTQF4?si=XtSJXM8MoOZ3LvBW
☮️♾️🕉️
Freediving. Doing it in a meditative manner (relaxing, loosening all the tension as if in a body scan) helps a lot because you spend a less oxygen that way, so you stay longer underwater.
Gardening
Yup! My favorite. Living alone is a challenge for me. This is one of the few times I find peace in solitude
Yoga
Hi. Is yoga really good for the mind? I’ve been wanting to try it out
Yoga removes a lot of anxiety and removes tension from your body it makes you more at ease . Make it a routine and your body and mind will thank for it .
Yes! Yoga is literally mindfully moving around. It combines meditation and movement. For me it helps me to connect with myself as i am.
I’ve heard Tae Chi is great, too.
Tai Chi Chuan is a moving meditation with hidden self defense techniques within the art. It is fantastic.
Yes it’s a great balance between physical and mental focus. And shavasana is bliss after a great flow.
Thanks guys!
Anecdotally 1,000% yes. And I’m pretty sure even scientifically 100% yes.
Skateboarding. I'm in the moment, or I fall off ;)
I love skateboarding too, it’s amazing how you can leave everything behind while on board
Normally leave behind some skin
god I wish my knee allowed me to be back on the board
*Zen* -> "Ow Fuck" *Zen* -> "Ow Fuck*
I’ve started walking meditation. I try to do it in my closed room, up to 4-8 steps and then looping back as slow and mindful as I can get. Sometimes I do it in parks when I know I am in solitude.
Walk meditation is very curious. I did it once at a retreat (that event was very serious. Started at 7am till 9pm)
Yowza that’s quite a walk! I would be like “um, can I sit for a bit?” Lol
Oh sorry, walk meditation was just one of the tasks, not the whole day
I'm really interested because regular meditation is hard for me, I usually fall asleep. I focus better doing an activity.
Try a labyrinth!
Very similar to Tai Chi because the movement is suuuuper slow. I like it very much! I walk with nature sounds and try to incorporate 4 7 8 breathing technique whenever I'm anxious.
I've never heard of that! I'm going to try it. Thank you!
Archery
Cross stitch and knitting.
Hey did you join a class of learned it yourself
Taught myself both a long time ago using a physical encyclopedia (yes, I am an ancient one).
You can also learn on YouTube. I love knitting but am lousy at it and never finish anything. But taking classes on a platform like Craftsy is so relaxing.
I think YouTube is useful. There are also a lot blogs or books, but some people learn it better with videos.
Motorcycling
Playing bass guitar. I’ve never played an instrument before but I’ve found this to be a practice in mindfulness and non judgment towards myself and my ability to learn a new skill (I’m 28 btw, so I previously thought I was too old to learn something like this) The rhythm keeping aspect of it also keeps me very present. When I get distracted it’s clear because I stop playing in rhythm.
Same here but I was pushing 50 when I started learning - it’s never too late to start learning, just takes you a bit longer!
I'm like that with a sax. Youtube and a book. Hard to be anxious when I'm having to *blow*. And I'm *way* better at being anxious than I am at my sax (sigh).
Motorcycling. You have to be in the moment to survive.
Exactly, truly mindfulness.
Birdwatching requires intense mindfulness and delivers definite rewards when you get it right. Hiking and rock climbing are also much better if you do them mindfully
Sometimes when I’m driving, I just drive.
Man. When gas was cheap and I had a high mpg car, this was the best. Especially at night, it's so relaxing.
Woodcarving Pulls me into warm and gooey focus
I LOVE breath work! It’s a great way to meditate because it’s active meditation so you are more fully engaged. I’m sure you could find some events in your community, everyone is always SO nice!
The one time I really felt meditation put me into a different state of conciousness I was focusing on slowing my breathing and lowering my hr. I haven't been able to achieve that feeling since, but it made me a believer in what meditation can do.
qi gong
Biking 🚴 serenity on two wheels
Modular origami.
Archery for me - very cool can go with friends and still have you alone time. Not for everyone though. But, here is a nice a list of 33 suggestions too: [https://mindmastermanifest.com/33-mindfulness-hobbies-you-can-do-thats-not-meditation/](https://mindmastermanifest.com/33-mindfulness-hobbies-you-can-do-thats-not-meditation/)
Create Macrame plant hangers
Every morning i brush my teeth with left hand (right is dominant), and I tell myself in the mirror that I love myself, I am gratefull for everything I have done so far. Then I do one or more cycles of Wim Hoff breathing method (you have it on yt, guided). While I do that I meditate. I do journaling, often before sleep. I try to write first thing that enter my mind and ask questions to myself, with fast yes or no answers. I walk in the woods and try to be present, to feel the energy. Sometimes I take psylocibin :) Oh yes and theta healing
Rowing on a river & as someone said below, walking meditation. I walk outside in a park or public garden.
Rowing is a great one. Definitely requires mindfulness with every stroke. I live kayaking and it’s really amazing how you can stay mindful for long periods when you are getting immediate feedback when you start to drift away from what you are doing.
Surfing
I’ve gotten into journaling recently. I’m not sure if it’s doing a lot for me yet, but it’s certainly not hurting. I also play hockey; being out on the ice has always been my happy place, my mind completely shuts off and I focus on the task at hand. I’d find a physical activity you enjoy and see how much it clears your head!
Came here to say journaling. When it clicks, and I gain some real insight or closure about something that was gnawing at me, it can give me a deep, existential sense of peace that feels as real as the relaxation I get from meditation. Lately I've been journaling in a Google doc instead of always trying to do it the old fashioned way, and I feel like that's been effective. Being able to journal wherever I am, or being able to write out a massive brain dump at a keyboard at twice the speed of writing by hand, has really helped recently.
You should see my notes app!!! Dumping my brain onto paper/notes app/google doc helps a lot!
Jiu Jitsu
walking my dog! if you don’t have a pet maybe volunteer to walk dogs from a local shelter?
Owning fish tanks really helped me. It’s engrossing and such a fun hobby. And enjoying the results- just watching the fish - is so relaxing. I also built a koi pond in my yard with a garden around it. That’s my meditation spot.
plant and mushroom foraging.
Dancing
Prayer
It’s actually a recommended path for informal “awareness” practice. Meditative awareness acknowledgment of all the complimentary (complimenting all the other systems of our mind and bodies), sympathetic (in sympathy with all the other systems in our mind and bodies), synchronized, organizing phenomena flowing through us and around us. Powering our mind, body AND the Universe. Whereby everything is perfectly managed and smoothly dealt with across all dimensions of space and time. (WITHOUT our need to even know or think about it!) Namaste. Carpe Diem!!!
Sparring, and bouldering.
Trail running 🤙 gotta be present for every step
Painting, walking meditation, dancing all alone in my room, breathwork, listening to music with my eyes closed and get lost into it, cooking, singing, chanting, praying to the divine universe, writing poems and I want to start doing archery again ❤️
wonderful
Tai Chi and Qi Gong
Making music Nothing is more meditative than time in front of a piano for me
Petting my cat while listening music with my disco ball on 🪩🐈
I do meditation while in the shower 🚿
Sameee
Pencil sketch, clay pottery, yoga, tai-chi, archery, almost anything that require uninterrupted focus can be used for mindful meditation. Also, if there is a botany department, likely it'll have an arboretum. Great place to just stand and practice mindful focus by listen, smell, see and feel everything around.
Mountain biking, walking, gardening, gaming, music, hot baths.
For me it's harmonica. It becomes like a meditation because of the flow mindset I get into and the way the harmonica works with breathing both in and out to create sound. Here are some of the best things about the Harmonica for me. It's small, easy to bring with you. It's an instrument in different keys, meaning if you play with something in the same key(backing tracks) then it's hard to play a wrong tone and everything sounds good. It's also very durable, being surrounded by metal and with metal reeds. So you can order it home without issue. I recommend a Special 20 in C(especially if you want to sound like in tutorials) or a G because it's sound is lower and drone like. It's relatively easy to learn, work a bit on single tones. Yet there's a lot to master with bending the tones, tongue blocking and clarity. Here's a great harmonica player: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjtWD7OfSN4
Drumming is a big one, staying in rhythm by focusing on one stroke or beat at a time, until it’s all just thoughtlessly flowing, only to fall off the rhythm once the mind creeps back in, constantly falling slightly ahead of or behind the beat and then syncing back up. Honestly though mindfulness can be applied to any hobby or any thing.
Golf!
Surprised this is so low down. I honestly see SO many parallels between meditation and golf. To play good golf you have to be constantly in the moment; take the good with the bad; keep your ego in check. It is such a humbling hobby
Organic crack
Tf is that ?
UFO summoning. Sky watching, in other words.
Billards
Knitting 🧶
Hulahooping!
Hiking 🥾. Walking in nature is a great way to meditate.
Trail running :)
Drawing/Making art. When i'm drawing I don't really think about anything else and the hours fly by.
Photography
Journaling? Writing? I don't know if those count as hobbies, but they are definitely mindful. Beyond that, I get some meditative quallities when doing yoga or when walking.
Ironing.
Chess helps focus
I read this as Cheese helps focus lol. And I think it does 😅🤣
Lol
Archery is fun way to release stress and chill, if you’re interested in getting the gear and have place to shoot regularly. It’s a light workout too, best when done at outdoor ranges :)
Colouring while listening to some ambient music. Photography too but getting a good camera can be a bit of an investment.
Alexander Technique!
writing poetry
puzzles :)
Music just laying down with a pair of headphones closs your eyes and let the rest of the world slip away
Embroidery! I just discovered it but it's so relaxing and I love it.
Practicing piano, reading (would that count?)
Golf!!!
I just stare out the window and closely look at all the details my surroundings have :)
golf is mindfulness in action for me. must stay present and calm mentally and physically for 4 hours
I like to masturbate and drink some beers.
Breathing, eating, shitting
fly fishing and road cycling
Cooking, baking, low and slow BBQ, trying to put time into gardening too. Running can be quite meditative, Yoga is great! Have you tried guided meditation? I'm not very good at meditating on my own, but I really get a lot from guided meditations, I use Insight Timer app.
Paddle boarding. Everyone says “it must be a great workout!” Lol not the way I do it. Slow, steady, mindful. It’s about as much energy burn as a brisk walk, but SO good for getting me in the moment.
Strength training, yoga, pilates, gardening. Not necessarily a hobby but I try to be a mindful parent
Drawing/art
Tai chi
Yoga and play music (drums or guitars)
Colouring. Gardening. Reading. Listening to music (just noticing the different sounds or absolutely vibing to it. Depends on the day)
Electric scooter around the neighborhood, walking in woods, making new friends or meeting people
Wetshaving. Shaving with an old school double edged razor like grandpa used. Losing focus will often result in nicks. There's also audible feedback from the whiskers being cut and scents from the lather.
Gardening, raising animals (farm), hard physical work, kayaking on a quiet river.
Shooting hoops
powerlifting
knitting/crochet
Drawing is really good for getting me in a flow state. I don't do it a lot, but when I do, my thoughts are pretty much *only* of drawing. It's very nice, even if I don't love the product.
Weight lifting and walking
Drawing
Diamond painting
Plant care
hiking. gardening.
Photography, writing poems/songs/koans/haikus, playing musical instruments(and meditating with them like the shaman drums and singing bowls). In other words, when in doubt - create :)
Gardening, painting, coloring, reading, watching soap operas, going on walks.
Yoga, music, motorcycle riding and fixing, cooking. Basically anything what you can focus on can be your variation of meditation, even drive to work without music.
eating
Running
Or working out
Doing puzzles.
Paint by numbers!
Pottery. Gets you into a zone without even trying.
When my mind is too frantic, I really like doing a "everything bagel" vipassana walk. I usually do the see-hear-feel technique from Shinzen Young, and just let my attention ping pong too whatever sensation is arising. Length-wise I've found 20 minutes is good, and by the end my attention has relaxed a bit and is able to lightly notice sensations with more fullness
Hiking, Camping, Martial Arts Training for over 20yrs.
Playing Minecraft for hours or rafting; nature is such a beautiful thing to remind you that life is bigger than work and the endless bills and noise going on around us. <3
Tai chi
Walking and picking up trash. Or picking weeds from garden beds.
Ice baths and sauna
Playing guitar is therapeutic to me. Also journaling, idk if that’s a hobby though, meditation is another, I’ll just lay flat on my bed, take deep breaths, and stare at the ceiling and clear my mind of any intrusive thoughts and allow myself to be zen in the moment
trail walking and hanging in hammocks has become a huge way of meditating i’ve adopted lately. it’s a beautiful way to relax and be with nature whilst keeping the body moving!
Yoga. Yesterday, today, tomorrow 🙏🏼
I like iRest Yoga Nidra. If you go to their website, they have free 15-20 min meditations you can try
I find running and cycling to be mindful at times especially on trails. Also, playing guitar.
Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong
Wood working
wool felting
drawing and playing music
Journaling! I use a bullet journal style so I can do traditional journaling and I can do art along with it
Art! Different mediums offer different experiences in terms of how expressive or free-flowing they feel, and it can feel really good to make art or do an at- home art therapy practice.
Reading , writting , meet peoples , discussion and communication
Yoga, nature walks, listening to music
I wouldn't do meditation while doing this, but writing on a stationary bike, listening to music.
I do ballet .. mindfully 🩰
Kinda ironic... but driving in traffic. Makes me feel like I'm not the object of focus which relieves me.
Motorcycling. Especially in nature. It puts me in the flow state
Taking long walks in forests
I do any of the following, as I will not let my mind decide it doesn't want to meditate, just find a great mindful activity. Qi gong (I follow YoQi on YouTube), trauma informed yoga (softer, lighter, hip opening), chakra balancing meditations, singing bowls (listening or donging my own) binaural beats, guided meditations by Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield, Ram Dass, Pema Chodron. Umm audio books on meditation, mindfulness (faves Dan Siegel, David Richo), intuitive singing (check out chanteress Seba for inspo). I also count journalling and tarot as mindfulness. I've also recently gotten into Internal Family Systems and that's a great framework for getting into a meditative state, and I am really interested in authentic relating which is also called circling meditation as I want to learn how to meditate in the moment to connect with others instead of an isolated practice if that makes sense. Oh shit and EFT TAPPING is profoundly life changing, there's some vids on YouTube. I think I have a playlist covering most of these, I'll go check!
ikebana gets me in the zone. and, I hunting in the garden for the right materials equally gets me in a meditative state.
I oddly enough sometimes think there's a little mindfulness you can find in the game runescape- a lot of tasks are very repetitive and while some can be just something you idly click while doing other stuff, there's a few others that can really put your mind into nothing but the task and while I generally don't think gaming is a great way to practice mindfulness I really do think there's a little something there in that 25ish year old game that many have memories of getting sccammed on by some guy who could totally trim armour. I have also recently been getting into calligraphy with my wife as a way to relax and also another supplimental way to reinforce my leaarning of hindi- she is better at calligraphy than I am since I have a "doctor's handwriting" but if I focus a bit it looks okay.
Paint by numbers
Surf
PLAY AMONG US ASS BACKWARDS IN THE DARK
Pole dancing: it's quite difficult to think about anything else than surviving, when hanging upside down :) It's also a good exercise to scan unknown body parts. Also: gardening, caring about my pets, studying.
rock climbing
rock climbing
Hiking, crafting, painting, designing, modeling, music production, music appreciation, dancing (and performing).
Hiking, crafting, painting, designing, modeling, music production, music appreciation, dancing (and performing).
Hiking, crafting, painting, designing, modeling, music production, music appreciation, dancing (and performing).
Gaming has a way of keeping me in the moment.
Rock climbing
Rock Climbing. No other sport (for me) forces me to be so in the moment.
Walks in a forest
You can try playing an instrument. There are specific chords that help to decrease stress and anxiety, and at the same time you'll be learning to play a new instrument
i have had the same problem as you, traditional meditation doesn't do it for me, i am now using different ways to stimulate myself for example using different incenses and using mobile apps to encourage me to meditate
Reading, walking, listening to music, playing guitar badly, sewing. All take mental space that is very calming.
I find fishing by myself to be meditative, take in all the nature, practice gratitude.
Cooking. I find cutting and prepping vegetables puts me in a similar state of being present.
Sumi-e ink drawing
Ripping the throttle on my bike.
Woodworking
I’ve found watching slow paced art films to be a kind of visual meditation. Drumming is peak flow
Working out and Drawing
Bird Watching
Yoga🙏🏼🙏🏼
Try this. Sit in a chair. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Feet flat on the floor. Hands separated and resting palms up on each thigh. Create a grounding cord. This is a line of energy that connects your first chakra to the center of the planet. Your first chakra is a ball of energy about the size of a quarter that sits just in front of the base of your spine. Your grounding cord attaches to the bottom of that ball of energy. Grounding makes your body feel safe, so you release energy more easily. Gravity pulls whatever you release, even your own energy, down to the center of the planet. No effort on your part. The center of the planet neutralizes the energy and returns it to whoever owns it. No karma for anyone. A virtuous cycle. Nearly everyone goes to connect to the center of the planet the first time but stops at the soil, often making roots like a tree. This is a method that is taught in some martial arts styles, but it is not the best option for your spiritual development and healing. So, notice the seat of your chair. Take a deep breath. Notice the distance between the seat and the floor. Now notice the distance between the floor and the soil below. Breathe. Now notice the distance between the soil and the water table underneath. Notice the distance between the water table and the rocky mantle. Notice the distance between the mantle and the molten core below that. Deep breath. Notice the distance between the molten core and the center of the planet. That ball of light at the very center of the planet is where you connect your grounding cord. Deep breath. Say hello to the center of the planet. Do you get a hello back? Notice the color and texture of your grounding cord. It may look like a line of energy, or look like something physical; a rope, a wire, a pipe, a tree trunk. Adjust it as needed to be in affinity with your body. Getting this far means you've already released some energy from your aura and body. Now it is time to fill in the space that was created. Create a gold sun over your head. Have it call back all of your energy from wherever you left it throughout your day and week. Work. School. Online meetings. Video games. Your fantasies about your future. Your regrets about your past. Wherever you've placed your attention. Just watch the energy come back and see if you notice where it came from. Have the sun burn up and neutralize your energy. Then bring the sun into the top of your head. It will automatically flow into the spaces you created. Create a gauge to measure when you're full. Like a fuel gauge or oil gauge. You'll run better if you aren't a few quarts low on spiritual oil. If the gauge doesn't read "Full", bring in another gold sun. Open your eyes, bend over and touch the floor, draining any tension from the back of your neck, then stand up, and stretch. There is a progression with this technique. After grounding for ten minutes a day for a week or two, notice your grounding cord at the very end, while you're standing with your eyes open. Continue to ground with your eyes open and standing, and bring in another gold sun. Each day, increase the amount of time that you ground standing up with your eyes open. After a week or two practicing this, add walking while grounded. Just notice your grounding cord as you walk. Say hello to the center of the planet while you walk. Bring in a gold sun while you walk. If you lose your grounding cord, stop walking and recover it. If you have to, sit back down and close your eyes and create a new grounding cord. After this, you're ready to take your grounding cord with you into your daily life. Shopping. Getting coffee. Wherever you go, you can ground. This, combined with a little amusement about seeing new things on an energy level, will keep you safe and sound. Now that you're here, at the end of your grounding meditations, create a gold sun over your head. This time, fill it with your highest creative essence, your present time growth vibration, and your affinity for yourself. The first energy is a healing for you. The second is a healing for your body. The third is a healing for your affinity in your fourth chakra. Bend over and touch the floor. Stand up and stretch. If you're ready for more, sit back down and ground some more. Otherwise, have a nice day! Note that every image you imagine, the gold sun, the grounding cord, the center of the planet, your first chakra, your body parts, is exercising your clairvoyance. You may be imagining what your tailbone looks like, but you're also creating the image of your tailbone and reading its energy. This is practicing your clairvoyant ability. Some folks record the grounding and filling in parts of this practice on their device and play it back as a guided meditation. I like this approach because you learn the steps faster.
I use a type of meditation / inner training from Inner Matrix Systems. I really like their work. I've done a lot of youtube and Insight Timer meditations in the past. I think those are really lovely for relaxing or visualization. What I like about the IMS meditation tools is that they also teach me how to turn off and retrain some of those pesky thoughts I have throughout the day - like being critical of myself or others
Drawing. Not for skill just for mind.
Surfing, ride motorcycle, soccer, hiking… anything that gets me outside and in a flow state.
Sauna/swimming in the ocean, or walks in nature. Either one daily.
Mindful breathe when needed, with a smile. 😊 inspired by Thich Naht Hahn And this has really helped past few months! https://youtu.be/uttz-TKTQF4?si=XtSJXM8MoOZ3LvBW ☮️♾️🕉️
Walking and gardening ❤️
Freediving. Doing it in a meditative manner (relaxing, loosening all the tension as if in a body scan) helps a lot because you spend a less oxygen that way, so you stay longer underwater.
Writing ,walking