TITLE: MEDITATE WITH FEETS
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
mindful, meditate, experience, mind, support, peaceful, stillness, technique, book, focus, feeling, lover, ergonomic, minute, topic, feets, helps, meditations, practice, today
TRANSCRIPT
0:00 Hello and welcome to Mindful in 5, helping you discover your peaceful path. I'm your host Spiwe Jefferson, author of the Mindful in 5 book series.
0:14 Mindful ninjas, where are you in this moment? Present, because you are present in the moment. If your mind is wandering gently to handle it to be here, now, it's a new year. And perhaps you have new aspirations to commit to your mindfulness meditation practice. But how, after all, learning to meditate is kinda hard. Your mind races you fidget, the silence is deafening (crickets chirping).
0:54 These are the experiences of Akar Khouri, one of the fictional characters in the book, mindful in five, meditations for people with no time, perhaps just like you. If this is your experience, take heart. This is what it feels like for many people who are getting started. And even those who have been added for a long time. Everybody has off days. I remember feeling so encouraged when I listened to this silver haired monk who had been meditating for decades. And he talked about this one stretch of about a decade in his lifetime, where every time he tried to meditate, it just felt like a desert. Nothing was happening. He was a God lover, he was not feeling the presence of God, he wasn't feeling anything. And he spent a lot of time just fighting to try and get his mind to stop racing. And I remember thinking you too?! (Whistle ding sound effect)
2:01 So if that's your experience, do not let it discourage you. Everybody has that experience. I spend time just trying to refocus my mind as I try to meditate every morning, so don't be discouraged. In the book, Akar’s coworker, Chantelle, helps him troubleshoot with step by step guidance. Our episode today is titled Meditate With FEETS. And no, that is not a typo. We'll explore the FEETS centering technique, a simple yet profound method to center yourself every morning, ensuring that your day starts out clear, focused and supported. A powerful element of the Mindful in 5 value proposition is to equip busy people with no time, perhaps just like you with easy to remember techniques that you can implement in as little as five minutes. So let's unpack the FEETS technique.
3:07 The F is for find, find a quiet place where you can meditate regularly. This could be a small corner of your room, a cozy chair, or even a spot in your garden. Consistency in location helps build a routine, creating a space where your mind automatically shifts into a calmer, more peaceful state.
3:30 E is for ergonomic. Sit comfortably with your spine straight. If you're in a chair, keep your thighs and feet parallel to the floor, calves at a right angle. If you are sitting on the floor, use a cushion to support your spine. You can buy meditation cushions online filled with buckwheat and other firm materials that provide good support for you to sit on. Ergonomic posture isn't just about comfort. It's about aligning your body in a way that supports clarity and focus, reducing physical distractions.
4:09 The E is for eyes. Close them to minimize distractions. If you prefer a focal point, concentrate on the area between your eyebrows even with your eyes closed. This simple act of closing or focusing your eyes signals your mind to prepare for a softer, more introspective experience. There are people who subscribe to things like walking meditations. I consider that really more being mindfully present than meditating. But if you are trying to learn how to meditate, then I highly recommend that you close your eyes so that your mind is less prone to wandering off.
04:57 The T in FEETS is for topic. Choose a theme or idea to ponder upon. It could be gratitude, peace, or even a word that resonates with your current state. At this time, as we are studying the new year, you might find all kinds of things that you would like to focus on and dwell on and meditate on. Each of the Mindful in 5 books come with a year of five-day five-minute topics to help you focus. So if you are trying and struggling to think of something to focus on, pick a chapter. They are really short, and at the end of each chapter, there are five-day five-minute prompts to help you identify a topic you can dwell on. As your thoughts wander - and they will - gently guide them back to your chosen topic. This practice enhances your ability to remain focused, fostering a sense of mental clarity and calmness.
6:02 Lastly, S is for stillness. Embrace the quiet. Feel your breath is rhythm, its power, its existence. Sitting in stillness, especially in today's fast paced world can be challenging. But it's in this stillness, that you will find a profound sense of support and peace, God lovers it’s by going within that you encounter that still small voice that provides guidance and wisdom. Even if you're not a God lover, you may experience it as your intuition, insight or conscience. So Mindful Ninjas, I invite you to start each day with the feets technique. In the notes for this episode, you will find a link you can use to download this technique for free. You can also find this technique in the practice section of the Mindful in 5 book and practice along with Akar as he learns how to meditate and transition from highly stressed and triggered to calm and peaceful. Perhaps just like you, or at least, perhaps just like you aspire to be (chorus: aaaahhhhh!).
7:24 Just five minutes every morning can significantly impact your day for the better, leading you towards a life that is more peaceful, clear and supported. Remember, mindfulness is a journey, not a destination and certainly not a mountaintop. Be patient and kind to yourself as you walk this path. Thank you for joining today's episode. Embrace your day. With a peaceful heart and a clear mind. Practice feeds this week, and come back for another useful strategy you can implement next week. Until then this is Spiwe saying be mindful and be well.
James@DiscovertheVoice
08:10 Thank you for listening to Mindful in 5. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend. Follow and rate it on your favorite podcast platform. Pick up your signed copy of the book in journal from SpiweJefferson.com or unsigned copies from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or wherever you get your books. Visit SpiweJefferson.com to download sample chapters of the book, watch videos and become a mindful ninja. Join us on the LinkedIn Mindful in 5 group and share your thoughts. Until next time, be mindful and be well.