Informal Meditation, A Daily Practice
Informal meditation is a modality that allows us to perform meditative practices in any daily circumstance. Unlike formal meditation, it doesn’t require space, time, or even a structured routine. It also does not require a lot of time.
This practice can be done anytime and anywhere. We do not need to interrupt our daily activities, nor have great skills. The good news is that informal meditation allows us to achieve greater tranquility and improve awareness and focus.
The central purpose of informal meditation is the same as that of formal meditation: to fully experience the present moment. It’s about connecting more authentically with yourself and with the present moment.
This keeps us from overloading ourselves emotionally and ending up stressed at the end of the day. So let’s see how to practice it below.
Start the day with an informal meditation
Waking up is one of the most important times of the day. Your brain is fresher and more attentive. It is also renewed by rest. This time is optimal for informal meditation practice.
Start by taking five deep breaths as soon as you wake up. If possible, focus on how the air comes in and out of your lungs. Then stand up slowly, carefully following your every move you make. Take a good look at the way you go from lying down to standing up.
The timing of personal hygiene is also one of the most conducive to informal meditation. Concentrate on all the sensations you have when you wash yourself. How water slides along your body and how your skin reacts to it. Do the same while brushing your teeth.
Mindfulness while eating
We are used to focusing on a multitude of ideas while we eat, watch TV, or chat with those around us. Sometimes we just get lost in our memories or worries.
It however should be arrived first to be attentive at every meal. We need to be able to focus on what we eat: the perceptions it generates, the taste, the smell, the appearance, etc.
The ideal is to eat slowly and chew slowly. This not only improves the taste of food, but it also aids digestion, among other benefits. It is a way of practicing informal meditation in a daily time.
Express meditation
The informal meditation technique that follows is particularly suited to difficult times. The times when we are the most anxious, angry or under the pressure of a circumstance. It is an ultra-fast practice to regain balance.
There is only one rule of thumb : it can never last longer than a minute. It’s just about retreating to a place where you can be alone (at least initially). Then put your feet on the ground, sit down, relax your arms, and close your eyes. You should then breathe and become aware of your breathing, for a minute.
It is normal for distracting thoughts to appear, especially when you have no experience. It is only a minute, but the mind is like this: it tends to disperse. Then come back to your activities. If you meditate frequently, it will take less time to regain your balance.
The moments of informal meditation
Informal meditation is an ideal technique for all those times of the day that we might call “downtime”. In other words, those during which we are not doing an activity that requires a high level of concentration.
They are also numerous in our daily life. Almost all household activities allow you to do this type of meditation: making the bed, doing the dishes, organizing the laundry, cleaning the house, preparing meals, walking the dog, etc.
There is also a lot of downtime when we move around, wait our turn or are in a waiting room. Waiting for the light to turn green to cross a street is also a downtime. We can indeed take the opportunity to do a minute of informal meditation.
All these activities are a continuous training to achieve living fully in the present. It awakens us, relaxes us, allows ideas and creativity to flow. In addition, it keeps our emotions in balance, and thus we become stronger.
Our thoughts Yoga Nidra is a variation of yoga that is achieved by lying down in a quiet environment. Discover all its benefits.
