Traffic jams every year becomes more and more. Especially they increase by winter in Moscow and other major cities. And I know what kind of constant hassle these jams can turn into.
Here you stand in this traffic jam, which seemingly has no end. The stream barely moves. Here it is a deceptive jerk, the speed increases to 40, up to 60 and ... A sharp braking, the red light of the taillights in front of the standing car beats in the eyes.
And again this endless standing. The muffled hum of the engine. Sometimes it saves the radio or your favorite music. Yes, and she bothers.
In my head all thoughts are only: “well, when will everything finally go?” Tense expectation, impatience. Someone wedges in front of you. Anger, irritation ... Or you try to break into yourself, but you are not allowed.
Anger, anxiety.
You come home all the time on the nerves, exhausted ... It happens even evil. And tomorrow, go back to work and stand. What if I tell you that there is a way to turn traffic jams and driving a car into a source of relaxation and tranquility, and not a source of another stress?
Meditation in the car will help you turn driving into a source of pleasure. Reduce stress in traffic. And of course, to pump your awareness: not everyone has the time and opportunity to meditate for hours in order to get the maximum benefit from meditation. But you can engage in awareness in traffic jams, pump peace of mind, concentration, the ability to accept and let go of emotions instead of quietly getting angry and burning with impatience.
There is such a stereotype that to meditate is to sit in the lotus position, close your eyes, focus on breathing. But in this article I want to dispel this misconception and tell you how to meditate while driving.
Yes, you heard it right! We will learn to meditate while driving. After all, meditation is an exercise much deeper than just a fixed sitting with eyes closed. You can meditate while driving, while walking, during your daily activities.
In this article I will tell how to do it.
Be in touch with movement.
A car for many people is a source of stress and tension. All these endless traffic jams, in which you are nervous and swearing, are overtaking in a dense traffic stream. And under the influence of all this, you come home annoyed and even more tired. It would seem that a car is a great blessing that allows you to get from point A to point B faster and more comfortably, but in reality, for many of us, driving turns into a solid hassle. And it is meditation that can help you avoid this hassle.
Let us turn to the principles of meditation, which will help you relax more, be able to flow, in contact with your feelings and with your car and, therefore, get more pleasure from driving!
And the first thing to start with is driving itself. From where your attention goes when you are driving, for example, on a highway. Many do it as if on a machine, constantly distracted by something. Or even worse (and more dangerous!), Talking on the phone. Such an abstraction from the moment “here and now” condition can just lead to emergency situations. And the principle of meditation is that you are in contact with the present moment, and do not soar with thoughts somewhere else.
So, if you notice that your mind is trying to run away somewhere far (in plans for tomorrow or worries about yesterday's events), you calmly turn your attention to what is happening here and now: how your car accelerates, how it handles roughness on the road, how it goes on overtaking, how someone overtakes you, how other participants of the traffic flow behave . This will not only minimize the likelihood of an accident, but also help you get much more pleasure from the process of driving.
Paying attention to the smooth movement of the steering wheel under your palms, to the rumbling of the engine running and the rustling of tires on the asphalt, without noticing it, you are plunging into a more relaxed and meditative state. Being engaged in such an informal practice of meditation, you thereby pump over such important skills as concentration, attentiveness, acceptance, calmness.
A car is a marker of awareness. I notice that when I am relaxed and focused, riding gives me much more pleasure. I listen more sensitively to the behavior of my iron horse, realizing the subtle nuances of driving. If this does not happen, I am not attentive, I am in bad contact with the ride and the road, so I need to slow down and relax.
Music in the car
We live in a time when information flows on us from television screens, monitors, billboards and radio sets in an endless stream. We are so accustomed to such information abundance that we simply begin to fear being alone with ourselves. As a result, being in silence, we begin to experience anxiety and fear.
Therefore, we strive to interrupt silence as soon as possible: turn on the music or begin to behave provocatively on the road in order to somehow stimulate our receptors, to cause an adrenaline rush. But this does not lead to relaxation. You do not need to completely abandon the radio in the car, but it is worth adhering to a certain balance: for example, listen to music in a traffic jam, and at speed go in silence.
How to turn traffic jams into a source of relaxation
For most people, traffic jams are an endless source of irritation. Thoughts come “well, when will it end?”, You squeeze the steering wheel with all your might, your foot breaks down to press on the gas and drive away as soon as possible, but the cars ahead are barely moving. This is very familiar to me. A couple of hours of such tense "jerking" - and you come home in a state of squeezed lemon: nervous and tense. But there is a way to make driving in traffic jams a source of relaxation and a way to train awareness.
What can you do for this?
Meditate in traffic
Direct attention to your body. Eyes do not need to close, part of the attention still remains on the road. But the other part of this attention is how you scan your body. Be aware of which parts of the body are tense. Most often it is the shoulders and face.
Noticing the tension, with a soft exhale, relax this area, releasing the tension. Notice how the shoulders fall, the steel grip, with which you squeezed the steering wheel, weakens, the facial muscles relax and the folds are smoothed.
You may have a keen desire at this point in time for this traffic jam to end. If so, notice how this desire manifests in the body and in the mind. Perhaps straining hands or feet. Perhaps thoughts come to mind: “Come on, come on, let's go!” And, again, with a soft exhalation, release these manifestations of desire in your mind and body, staying here and now. Nowhere slowly. After all, from your voltage tube will not go faster.
Attention! Just follow the road. And also make sure not to fall asleep. Personally, I can practice this without falling asleep. But many people can pull in a nap. In this case, it is better to postpone this practice.
Road behavior
Accurate and ethical driving is the key not only to your peace of mind, but also the peace of all other road users around you. All these cuttings, hurrying the machine ahead of you with a signal or trying to teach someone a lesson, slowing down in front of him, only add irritation and nervousness on the road and certainly do not contribute to peace of mind. Therefore, if you want to get more driving pleasure, try to treat other drivers with patience and understanding.
I wish you all a pleasant and safe driving!
