I’m currently undertaking my 50 Hours Meditation and Pranayama Teacher Training with Yashwant Saran and Diana Azavedo, via Zen Yoga Dubai. It’s been such an amazing experience to delve deeper into meditation and pranayama techniques (pranayama is the name given to yogic breathing techniques where the aim is to “stretch” the breath), especially during the current global situation where it feels like we could all do with breathing a little deeper… 

I’m sharing a few ways that you can incorporate meditation into your life, hopefully these help to break the misconceptions that we can only meditate while in total stillness, that we need to dedicate an hour each day for meditation and that we can only really be in a meditative state if we are on a retreat in India/Bali/Thailand away from all the distractions of every day life. Meditating can take many different forms, and the distractions of every day life are why we need to have a meditation practice in the first place!

Mediation may look like an app-based guided meditation, a group meditation class (via Zoom or in-person) where you can feel the teacher’s and other participants’ energies, or taking five minutes to meditate on your own first thing in the morning or before going to sleep – all of these are valid meditation practices. Meditation and yoga are often spoken of together, but one can practice yoga asana (the physical poses of yoga) without having a meditation practice, and vice versa. 

Here are three techniques to get you started, start with a few minutes a day and slowly build. These are my explanations and interpretations of techniques I’ve learned from my teachers over the last few years, explained in my own words to be accessible and suitable for busy people. 

Meditative Movement 

Meditation doesn’t have to be done in stillness! We can experience one-pointedness and total present moment awareness while doing anything: walking, eating or cleaning. I like to do this while chopping up fruit or vegetables, really being in the present moment, noticing the colour and the texture of the food, feeling the resistance of the knife as I cut it, noticing the smell and just fully immersing myself in the experience. Walking can also be a great way of practicing a moving meditation, just leave the step counter at home (or don’t look at it at least) and turn off the music/podcast and really tune in to what is happening in your body and mind. Notice how you feel after doing just one thing at a time and being fully present while doing it.

Square Breath Pranayama

One of my favourite breathing techniques. Sitting comfortably (it doesn’t matter how as long as your spine is straight), breathe in for a count of four, hold the breath at the top of the inhale for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, and hold the breath at the bottom of the exhale for a count of four. Visualise a square while you do this. The inhale is the breath moving up the vertical side of the square, the hold draws a horizontal line along the top of the square, the exhale draws a downwards vertical line and the hold at the bottom connects up the square. Start by doing this 4-5 times and build up from there to 10 rounds. If you lose count or focus, just start again!

Notice the difference in how it feels to hold the breath with the lungs full, and how it feels to hold the breath with the lungs empty. Notice how fast you are counting and if your count speeds up while holding your breath. Be present with each stage of this practice and notice how you feel during and afterwards.

Just a note – breath retention is not recommended during pregnancy and during the moon cycle by some of my teachers, please educate yourself on this and follow guidance from your teacher and medical professionals.

Five Senses Mediation

This can be done seated, lying down or walking. Start with your sight, noticing five things you can see, focus on each one by one. Then notice five sounds, even if you think there is “silence” pick out five different sounds from it. Listen out for a barking dog, a dripping tap. Then notice any smells. What are they? What associations and mental images do they bring? Notice the taste on your tongue. Finally feel your clothes against your skin, feel the surface you are sitting, standing or lying on. Tune into each sense one by one and really connect with the information you are receiving.

This practice can be a really nice way of getting back into our bodies and reconnecting with our senses, especially when we feel overwhelmed and not present. This one could even be done sitting at your desk in the middle of the workday. 

Do you currently have a meditation practice? Let me know if you try any of these ways of incorporating meditation into your life! 

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