Meditate Anywhere, Any Time

The most effective forms of meditation are often those that require the person to focus only on the process at hand, edging out of the mind all thoughts of everything else. This is the idea behind Zen Buddhist style and many other meditative styles from around the world.

However, many people don't have time to sit and focus only on this activity for hours at a time. Between school or work, hobbies, family, and other activities of daily life, it can seem too time consuming, no matter what the physical or mental benefits might be.

If this sounds like you, you might consider the following form of meditation, which can be done almost anywhere and at any time, and it can help you maintain a more balanced, calm outlook throughout your otherwise hectic life.

If your life is too busy for sitting mediation, you can take a cue from the practice of yoga to develop a method of standing meditation that can be performed anywhere. Yoga is a centuries-old practice of physical and mental exercise that is important in several Eastern philosophies.

The school of yoga that has become the most popular in the Western world is based around adopting different physical postures in order to add strength and flexibility while clearing and calming the mind.

There are hundreds of yoga postures that serious practitioners can learn and master, but for something simple on a daily basis, you can focus on one called "tadasana" or "mountain pose".

Tadasana, or Mountain Pose
Mountain pose is a standing, balancing pose that is easy to adopt and maintain.
In order to adopt mountain pose, stand with your feet close together so that the outsides of your big toes are touch each other, but your heels are slightly apart.

The big toes should be pointing directly in front of you, and your weight should be balanced evenly across your feet.
Next, flex the muscles in your ankles, knees, and thighs, imagining that the energy from the earth is moving up through your body toward your head.

Point your tailbone toward the floor, and straighten your torso, rolling your shoulders toward the middle of your back.
Lift your chest, neck, and head toward the ceiling, keeping your face facing forward.
Relax your face and tongue, keeping your chin in line with the floor and your arms straight at your sides.

From the outside, the mountain pose looks much like a normal standing pose, but taking this pose can help you focus your energy, and clear your mind.

If you follow these steps for a few moments each day, letting your troubles drift away and strengthening and straightening your body, you will be able to return to your daily activities calmed and refreshed. There is no need to hold mountain pose for longer than you can, and you won't need to create a special time or place to meditate.

Because meditation is an intensely personal process, the benefits you get from this quick and easy method will be unique to you, and you can adjust the pose in any way that better suits your needs.

Remember, there is no right or wrong way to meditate, so use these instructions as a guideline and an inspiration for incorporating daily mediation in to your busy lifestyle.