22 May How To Use Micro-Meditations To Find a Moment of Presence and Calm Wherever You Are
I love this idea of micro-meditations.
But more generally, I love the idea of MICRO anything … micro habits for happiness and micro habits for living a great life.
Too often, when it comes to happiness and wellbeing we think we need to do BIG things.
In reality, however, lots of little things done consistently is a much more realistic goal. And if it’s more realistic, it’ll bring more happiness …
via Well and Good by Helen Carefoot
Any given day, your attention can be pulled in a hundred different directions. Depending on how much you’re juggling, you may find yourself grasping for some outlet for stress relief. Mindfulness practices have scientifically-backed benefits for physical and mental health, and yoga class or extended meditation sessions could do wonders, but sometimes even that feels like too much time to give up. The good news is that sprinkling micro-meditations throughout your day can give you a much needed feeling of calm, no matter how packed your schedule is, without requiring you to block out much time on your calendar.
What are micro-meditations, and how do they differ from longer meditations?
Micro-meditations are basically just shorter meditation sequences. They range in type, and can include breathwork, visual meditations, or any mindfulness practice you enjoy, just bite sized. In general, micro-meditations range from about one to five minutes long, according to Susan Chen, founder of Susan Chen Vedic Meditation in New York. They are also a great way to get acquainted with meditation if you’re not familiar, can’t concentrate during a longer meditation, or haven’t found the right method yet, Chen adds. “There’s not just one type of meditation out there, and these micro-meditations are a really great way to begin,” she says.
But when we say micro, we’re not talking about diminished benefits—just length. There are many well-established benefits of meditation, including lowering inflammation, and even just three minute meditations are enough to bust stress and boost calm. You don’t need to be an expert at meditating to reap the benefits, either; a 2019 study published in Behavioural Brain Research looked at what happened when adults who weren’t experienced meditators completed four weeks of 13 minute guided mindfulness meditations—they reported being in a better mood, and feeling more attentive. The study also found that “relatively short” meditation practices had similar benefits to longer, more intensive meditations…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE