Mrs frustrated woke up to the screaming alarm to clean her dishes from day before yesterday, little did she know that her gender neutral plates had left over food which had dried to become miniature grand canyon, with a heavy and annoyed heart she got to cleaning and resumed her daily routine of complaining about her life. Complaining and crying during cleaning was her usual habit and this quarantine festival initiated by this coronavirus had added up to her anxiety. She could feel that burden of her curly hair had become equivalent of her messy life. Seeing her anxious her 5 year old son came and hugged her from behind, little guy could only reach till her waist but his concern and care reached Nandini’s heart , yes her name is Nandini but it wouldn’t be wrong to call her Mrs frustrated since she cries and complaints whole day about her life especially during lockdown, Why is Nandu so annoyed? (yes, I am giving her a nickname because I can since I am the author of this blog) You see our lives are like a glass of water, sorry let me be more specific it’s a glass of clean water. But we keep adding dirt and filth to it either consciously or unconsciously. We are always unconcerned about future, our children, our husband and the girl with whom he might be sleeping during weekend. Concern leads to stress which attracts insecurity and jealousy. These emotions make us dirty or let’s say it makes the water in the glass dirty.
- So how do we clean the water without emptying the glass?
It is imperative that we clean the water and for that we need to boil it. Boiling here represents meditation. Let me give you one example from Mahabharat. Subhadra (sister of Krishna): bhaiya muje adik chinta hain kisi baat se ..muje samadhan do (bro I am lil messed up with stress an all …what should I do) Krishna : agar chinta hain to chintan karo aur khud hi hal nikal lo (if u are so stressed then you should meditate) Chintan means dhyan in Hindi and in English it means meditation Meditation helps to concentrate, clean you mind by obstructing destructive thoughts, channelize your energy into the right direction. often people who meditate are more positive and stronger willed because meditation helps you to focus on your goals and prevent you from thinking about difficulties that can come. It instils a calm stable soul that cannot get angry easily and can work in the most chaotic loud environment. Meditation lets you think in peace. It’s an anti-virus system that works to remove trash from your mind. So, if Sunita meditates …sorry Nandini, clearly, I also need to meditate, she would realise that she only needs to make a cup of dalgona coffee and enjoy it sip by sip. She can also realise that baking makes her happy and she can bake a fresh cake and enjoy it with her son. And yes, baking will add up to the pile of dirty dishes which she will have to clean, or she can simply ask her husband to help. Let’s teach Nandini how to meditate. The whole procedure can be broken down into 4 stages:
- The Preparation Stage
- Physical Preparation: The best time to practice meditation is in the morning on an empty stomach, but any other time is also fine. Avoid wearing restrictive clothes. Do not meditate while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Mental Preparation: It is helpful prior to meditation to prepare yourself mentally. A simple act of breathing slowly and attentively may help you achieve some mental calmness which is a good pre-requisite for you to start the practice.
- Environmental Preparation: Try practicing meditation in a quite environment where you won’t be disturbed by the calls, doorbell or other interruptions. Some background meditation music may be helpful for setting up the mood.
- The Repetition Stage: Repetition is simply the focusing of your mind on a single point. It is an essential part of meditation. It clears away the mental cobwebs and stills your active conscious mind.
- The Receptive Stage: After the second stage, a good amount of vibrations is created inside the body which is absorbed in this stage. Keep your body erect and relaxed. Do not exert any conscious effort to think about anything. Thoughts and mental images may cross your consciousness. Examine them placidly as they come and go. It takes a while to develop this level of calmness, but the rewards of peace, calm, and insight are well worth the effort.
- The Closure Stage: At the end of your meditation, close both hands into fists and imagine a luminous white light surrounding you, filling you and protecting you. As you become aware of your surroundings, gently open your eyes. Once you finish your practice, try to remain silent and calm if you can.
I usually meditate for about 20 minutes. The usual breakdown of the whole process looks something like this:
- Preparation (3 minutes)
- Repetition (7 minutes)
- Receptivity (7 minutes)
- Closing (3 minutes)
And finally remember one thing: Meditation isn’t an act, it an altitude. It’s not something you do inside a room with your eyes closed, but it’s something you feel when you are conscious and awake. Remember guys Nandini is just a fictional character, this blog is mean to address anxiety and insecurity of readers. Mediation can help you achieve internal happiness so next time you will not have to roast or insult people to claim superiority.