Over the course of the year I've looked into meditation through reading material & apps. Even just speaking to others you can tap into a different part of the mind so it was ideal when I was offered the opportunity to read a summarized version of a new book to be released next month (1st Oct), Mindfulness for Creativity : Adapt, create and thrive in a frantic world.
Keeping our minds open and letting the creativity flow can be hard as we are distracted by anything that happens around us, I'm guilty as charged. I will be writing, colouring, reading - something - then my phone alerts me to a text, email, instant message and I look instantly. I'm then put into another zone. Meditation is good for those with depression, anxiety or has trouble concentrating and controlling our minds.
This self help book aims to help us create a different mind frame to focus on our tasks whatever they may be. The great thing about this is you get a meditation CD with this book, it tells you to meditate at least once a day, twice if possible. Morning & evening but of course it's how it fits into your life. I tend to meditate in the bath, I think I've mentioned this before, there's nothing around to distract me. It's quiet, calm and I'm at my most relaxed.
There's something in the book called 'Habit Releasers' which should be carried out each week. It's aim is to break down the negative habits of thinking and behaving that allow us to approach problems we face in those unproductive ways. I saw this part as doing new things, allowing the mind to be free and excited about doing small things out of habit, such as if you visit the same supermarket weekly, nothing is challenging, nothing is new, it's boring. Food shopping for me isn't exciting to begin with but it's even worse when you're in the same environment, you meet the same people constantly as they too are in the same pattern. They advise just going to a different supermarket to break the chain. Habit Releasers can be done anytime of the week but at least aim for 6 out of 7 days.
Mindfulness for Creativity is a 4 week programme, so it goes beyond the 22 days to break a habit and gives more days to adjust to the new habit.
• Week One introduces the Breathing meditation. Simple breath-based meditation, that asks you to follow the sensations that the breath makes as it flows into and out of your body.
• Week Two introduces the Sounds and Thoughts meditation. Enhances divergent thinking by teaching you to notice the similarities between sounds and thoughts.
• Week Three builds on the previous two weeks with Resilience meditation. This cultivates a broad, confident and kind-hearted state of mind that enhances courage and resilience.
• Week Four introduces Insight Meditation. Enhances the three skills essential for creativity in one powerful meditation.
I'm enjoying getting through this because I find myself distancing myself online, blogging, twitter, I currently don't have Facebook and I've started to delete photos off my Instagram. Just to distance myself a little and have a life offline. I highly recommend this book just off the brief I've read, it's straightforward, informative and something I feel we all need in this social media, high paced life.
*sample
