6X MEDITATIE VOOR DUMMIES

In America, I once did a sitting meditation. I had no idea what to expect from it, but it was clear that I needed it. There was another farewell with Mr. X on the horizon, and that came with a miserable ten-hour flight, sponsored by Kleenex. And of course, I knew that even a meditation couldn't calm me down, but still... A little peace in your head can never hurt.

And so I handed in my phone and my watch went off. The only things that were allowed were a pair of gloves and pen and paper. Spending twenty minutes in a forest on a wet stone with just an A4 sheet and a pen. In an incredibly beautiful setting (because Indian Summer) that I couldn't even share with my Instafam. I can tell you: those were the longest twenty minutes of my life. But the feeling afterward? I was one big ball of ZEN.

Where do you start if you want to meditate, but have no idea where and how to begin?

1. Walking

The most important thing about walking meditation is, walking (oh?) and setting your thoughts aside.

– Focus on your breathing, you do this by bringing your breathing low into your belly.

– Keep your attention on your breathing.

– Breathe deeply in through your nose and ensure that your exhalation takes place low in your belly.

– If thoughts come up, let them go and bring your focus back to your breathing.

2. Take a bath

Einstein once came up with one of his inventions in, yes, a bath. When you are completely relaxed, you come up with the most creative ideas. Focus on the warm water, let your thoughts go and... relax.

3. Go for a drive

I ask our Adeline if she is staying after the Look of The Year Awards in Amsterdam. ‘No, I'm driving home, so I can clear my head.’ And that is exactly what I mean by driving meditation. Keep the radio off, focus on the road, on your hands on the steering wheel and your foot on the pedal. Choose a road in a quiet environment or juist the highway. Avoid the busy city and traffic lights, because that will do anything but make you ZEN.

4. Say thank you a little more often

Sounds incredibly airy and praise the lord, but gratitude often gives you that one free moment of happiness. And you really don't have to do it out loud. Make a list for yourself of things you are grateful for. Focus on that list. You will see that it lifts your spirits and makes you forget the less pleasant things in life for a moment.

5. Listen to a meditation exercise

Guided meditation exercises reduce stress and create a calm and clear mind. Find a calming place, set your phone to airplane mode and throw it in a corner. Light a good amount of candles or incense if you like that. With a guided meditation, you will see that time flies by. Before you know it, twenty minutes have passed and you are completely relaxed again.

6. Set a timer

A short meditation of three minutes is good to start with. Try this every day and you will see that you can slowly expand it. What is so nice about this meditation is that you can apply it anywhere. In the toilet, in a quiet spot in the park, in the parking lot after standing in a huge line at the Appie, or in bed before starting your day.