Active Meditation or Mindful Meditation?
Active Meditation vs Mindful Meditation
Active meditation is, as the word “Active” suggests, meditation in motion. You focus on the task at hand and bring mindful meditation to it.
As an example, you can bring active meditation to something you do daily. So, let’s use brushing your teeth. Instead of mindlessly brushing your teeth, when you find yourself lost in thought, bring your mind to the task at hand. What do you smell, what’s the color of your toothpaste, what’s the taste, what’sthe color of your toothbrush, what do you hear (especially if using an electric toothbrush?) Feel the bristles against your gums, against your teeth. Be mindful of the sound of the toothbrush against your teeth, your hand moving from side to side. Feel and take note of your clean teeth. Feel gratitude for your teeth and for the tasks they allow you to accomplish such as chewing, speaking, and smiling.
You don’t have to think too hard, it’s just a case of noticing, being aware, and being present.
Mindfulness meditation however is contradictory to active meditation. This type of meditation involves not pure sitting but letting your body move — from slow to intense movements. It is a process where a practitioner can undo all suppression as well as negative emotions by letting the body move and easily go into stillness.
Mindful meditation is the discipline of paying attention to the present by noticing when your mind wanders off. When it does, focus on your breath — the coolness of your breath when you inhale and the warmth of it as you exhale. For me, mindful meditation is a place where I can rest and re-settle my mind It slows down your racing thoughts, releases negativity, and calms both your mind and body.
Posture Talk
Posture is important in mindfulness meditation so that energy will flow better. A comfortable seating position should be selected; it does not matter whether it is on a chair, on a bed, or the floor. Let your hands rest on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand should be in a downward position.
In active meditation, posture is not extremely important with active meditation. You can do any movement you wish like walking, dancing, or stamping your feet. Shouting, laughing, and crying can be incorporated as you move.
The Meditation Process
Once you have assumed a comfortable seating position, you are now ready to undertake the mindfulness meditation — become aware of the current moment. Experience what is happening right now at this very moment where you welcome yet slowly dissolve the fear, rage, qualms, and reservations in life.
Mindfulness meditation teaches you to be conscious of what is happening in your life as well as your environment. It lets you witness the good and the bad events. Most importantly, it lets you respond in a positive way to the matters you have become aware in the present moment.
The release of tension and stress may be the comparable factor between mindfulness and active meditation. There are four processes a practitioner should undertake with active meditation.
- Frenzied and unsystematic breathing. This is done with the belief that it is through breathing we invite repression so it is also in breathing that it will be freed.
- Act mad. This is done to free yourself from the negative emotions you are keeping within. When you do this step, you need not be serious. You need to act wildly — jump, dance, or jog if you want to. Let shouting, laughter, or wailing accompany your actions.
- Stop! Whatever position you are in when you feel like it, immediately put an end to everything that you are doing and be still, remaining in the position you find yourself in.
- Celebrate! If you find that active meditation works for you. Wonderful! You can intersperse it with mindful meditation in your daily meditation. If it’s not for you, that’s okay. Simply continue your journey with mindful meditation.
The most important aspect of any type of meditation is the result — you need to feel a sense of calm, peace, and balance! Bonus — meditation can benefit both your emotional well-being and overall health!
The most important aspect of any type of meditation is the result — you need to feel a sense of calm, peace, and balance! Bonus — meditation can benefit both your emotional well-being and overall health!
“The thing about meditation is you become more and more you.”
— David Lynch, filmmaker.
This article was originally published on my site at https://donnapresents.com/active-meditation-or-mindful-meditation/.
Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some. I have been meditating for over five years, but there were many days I found myself slipping. These days, not so much, not since I completed the no-cost Action Habits Challenge by Connie Ragen Green, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur. You can check it out here.
If you’re interested in revitalizing your life through meditation and would like to learn a virtually risk-free, and cost-effective practice, that people of all ages can do with a little patience and guidance and that will serve you for the rest of your life, I would love to connect with you. You can connect with me here.
I’m Donna SLam, who loves to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and others by sharing tips and strategies to live a fulling and purposeful life. I enjoy championing others to lead a healthy and happy life through meditation, walking, self-development, and spending time with loved ones.
