It’s All in the Gaze
Try Trataka, or fixed-gaze meditation, if staring into space or spacing out is your thing. This unusual form of meditation encourages participants to focus inward while sitting or standing by staring at a fixed object. Fix your gaze on a natural object such as a stone, tree, or even the moon if you’re outside (just avoid staring at the sun). Try staring at the center of a lit candle or an interactive computer graphic if you’re indoors.
Let’s Dance
Get ready to groove baby! Meditation just got cooler. Most people, at some point or another, have turned on some music and rolled out the rug to unwind after a long day. Rather than surrendering to the ego, participants of dance or kundalini meditation surrender to the rhythms and ecstasies of movement. Some classes allow students to yell, jump, and even hoot like an owl! Dance meditation isn’t for the faint of heart—or arm or leg—but it can be an effective way to relieve stress and reconnect with our instincts.
Walking Away
For anyone who is too antsy or tired to sit up straight, walking meditation is a great alternative to seated meditation. Drop your attention into your body and feel your weight transferring, your feet peeling off and then falling back down to the floor, and yourself moving through space to turn any walk into a moving meditation. Slowly walk, pay attention to each step, and avoid thinking about what will happen when you arrive. You can even do a walking meditation in your office hallways. After all, you’ll need to walk to the bathroom a couple of times during the day, no matter how busy you are.