You've read the articles, watched Wayne Dyer, and heard it from friends: Meditation is good for you.
Meditation is good for the body and soul, it is used as an aid to healing in hospitals across the world, is responsible for lowering stress, increasing creativity, and offers a host of spiritual benefits as well.
And while this all sounds great you may be thinking: I want to learn how to meditate, but I can't keep my body or my mind still for more than a few seconds! The solution is Active Meditation.
When most people think of meditation they picture someone dressed in loose, earth-toned clothing, sitting cross-legged on a mat in the middle of a forest while they chant vowel sounds for an hour.
And while sitting in this manner and speaking a mantra is a common method of meditation it is certainly not the only method.
Active meditation allows for body movement, in fact, it requires some movement as part of the meditation process.
Tai Chi, walking, and coloring are all examples of simple body movements that can be used to bring about a meditative state.
While I personally have enjoyed all three, my preferred method of active meditation is coloring.
What is important is that any simple, repetitive movement can be used to help you learn how to meditate.
The key is finding the action that helps you achieve this moment of bliss.
Following are the basic steps involved in coloring meditations.
I suggest starting with coloring because it is something you are familiar with and likely find pleasant (even if you forgot how much fun it can be).
Don't expect transcendental joy from the first session.
Practice the techniques below and soon you will learn how to meditate.
Step One: Gather your coloring pencils or markers and a coloring book (or download some free coloring pages); then choose a comfortable place where you can be quiet.
Step Two: Smile.
Holding a light smile on your face will help put you in a receptive mood for the meditation.
Don't skip this step just because it sounds a little silly.
Science has proven that smiling, even when you are not happy, can raise the level of endorphins (mood enhancing chemicals) in your brain.
So, start smiling! Step Three: Choose your first pencil or marker and then begin to color.
No need to over-think the colors.
Whenever possible let the colors choose themselves.
Step Five: Allow your self to experience the movements, hear the sounds of pencils on paper, or feel the markers as they glide across the page.
As thoughts or pictures pop into your head (and they will) simply acknowledge them and then return your focus to the coloring.
The coloring will always bring you back.