Forms of Meditation to Help People Who Can’t Sit Still

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Meditation, while a calming idea, can hold an intimidation factor, at least for me it did. The thought of sitting still and removing all thoughts from my brain didn’t necessarily click the right way for me. I tried and tried, and it was as if the missing puzzle piece that would connect me to zen mode didn’t exist. Recently, however, I called my friend who is big on the whole meditation thing and talked with him about the fact that I can’t seem to achieve that complete removal of thoughts, and achieve absolute peace. He informed me of many things - one of which was the fact that I was looking at it the wrong way.

Meditation can mean different things for different people, and more importantly, it can be achieved in different ways. Meditating doesn’t need to be done in a room with a guide, or while you sit cross-legged saying “ohm” over and over. Instead, for some, it means achieving a peaceful, thoughtless zen mode, while for others, it means finding positive thoughts while focusing on my movements and breath, and anything in between.

Basically what I am getting at here, is there are different ways and forms of meditation. So, for those of you who can’t find the mental place to sit still and remove your thoughts, there’s still hope for you.

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Walking Meditation

This form of meditating is what triggered me into getting involved in understanding more forms of meditating. Walking meditation taught me how I can achieve a calmer zen mode without absolute silence, as well as getting in some movement. This form of meditation involves the practice of walking slowly and focusing on each step, as well as each breath. I prefer to do this outside so I can add fresh air into the occasion and continuously roam without boundaries. The outdoors portion isn’t for everyone, as it adds a whole new aspect of distraction from the people and things around you to the meditation. Lastly, this form of meditation is my absolute favorite because it can be done at any time of the day, and just about anywhere. Even just five minutes of walking meditation during your lunch hour at work can make a difference in your day. 

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Dance Meditation 

Dancing meditation can be done pretty much anywhere if you’re comfortable enough. It can involve anything from swaying back and forth and focusing on each movement and breath, to jumping up and down yelling. Dance meditation focuses on the movement of the body and how it can relieve stress and tension, all while removing the factor of the ego (as you may look a bit strange during this). 

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Coloring and Drawing

As cheesy as it sounds, coloring and drawing can be one of the most successful forms of meditation. It can be done at just about any point throughout your day, as long as you have a pencil and paper, and it boosts your brain power! The act of drawing a simple pattern or coloring in an already created pattern can create a calmness that is a form of meditation. Now if you’re not much of a drawer, don’t fear, it’s not what the image looks like that’s important, it’s the end result of your anxiety and stress being relieved. Also, you can always purchase an adult coloring book and fill it in. It has the same benefits but reduces the anxiety that some of you may have about creating a pattern. Oh, and don’t forget the best part of this form of meditation is the fact that it can even be done in meetings (just don’t let your boss see).