I use to suffer from insomnia. My overactive, vata mind was so impossibly busy that I couldn’t sleep at night without extensive help. “Quieting my mind” was a laughable concept. How could I possibly quiet my mind when there was so many terrible things in this world? So many things that needed to be done. So many things that had already been done that I obviously needed to sit around and replay over and over again in my head.
Night time was the perfect time for this, since there were less distractions. Who had time to sleep when we were stuck in the inescapable illusion of time that forced us into submission and was surely to kill us whether we had finished all we wanted to do or not?!
This was my life for many years. Sleep deprived, anxiety ridden, stressed out and always looking for a distraction that would quiet my mind for me, if only for a moment. Just so I could breathe.
Creating Space to Silence Your Mind
Learning to quiet our minds is an invaluable skill. It allows for us to create space to breathe in our lives which helps us to:
- Lower stress levels
- Ease anxiety
- Sleep better
- Become more focused
- Lessen overwhelm
- Balance emotions
Quieting our busy minds can create so much more space for us to thrive so that we can focus our energy where it’s needed instead of on these useless and draining problems associated with overthinking.
When we’re able to calm our inner voices, we create space in our lives. As within, so without. When we create space, we allow for things to come together in a more effortless way and for the universe to bring into being better things for us.
Just as we should keep clutter out of the physical spaces we occupy, we should also keep clutter out of our minds.
Meditating to Silence Your Mind
The over-activeness of my mind caused some issues when I first started meditating. I had what was surely some sort of ADHD and couldn’t calm down and focus on anything for any given amount of time. Turns out, this is completely normal.
When we first start meditating, we can’t expect to be silencing our minds for an hour. I mean, how do you even “Silence” your mind anyway? Think about nothing? What is nothing? Blackness? The void of space? Those are still all things that are going to create thought trains leaving meditation station.
The key to silencing your mind isn’t to think about nothing. It’s to focus on SOMETHING.
My big breakthrough came when I realized I could focus on what the top of my head felt like..from the inside. It may sound confusing (or even weird) at first, since that’s not generally a place on our body that we notice. Hang in there with me for a moment, though and let me show you.
Close your eyes and take a deep breath, all the way into your stomach. Bring your awareness to the very tip top of your head. Place your hand on it if you need to. Feel how your skull sits solid and still underneath the skin. You can rest your attention here, just soaking in the awareness of this body part that you knew was there but never gave much thought to.
You can use this method and focus on any piece of your body that you like. It’s grounding and centering. I like to use the top of my head because it’s almost never got anything going on. Nothingness. I can barely even feel it, it’s never cold or hot, doesn’t generally hurt or hold stress. It’s just “there”. Simply being. Which is what we’re trying to accomplish as a whole.
Drop Expectations of Silencing Your Mind
When we first start meditating, we have all of these expectations of ourselves. Unrealistic expectations, I might add. You have to give yourself time and space and celebrate the small victories. They’ll grow into more impressive acts in time.
Know that you may never completely silence your mind. To do so goes against human nature. Instead, we’re training ourselves not to be a slave to our thoughts but to control them instead. We aren’t truly trying to silence them as much as we’re trying to create space around them.
As you sit in silent meditation, thoughts will pop up. Let them. Acknowledge them and then let them go. Don’t try and catch them or hold onto them. Release them like a bird to fly away.
Meditation is about learning to control our thoughts instead of them controlling us. It may help if you talk to them. As they pop up, speak to them “I see you but right now I’m doing this and cannot act upon you. Come back and see me at a better time”. And allow them to walk away.
When I lay down at night now, I always tell myself “You’re done for the day. There’s nothing left to do today but sleep. All else can wait until morning.” And with a deep breath and an exhale, I release all hold to the need of doing in the nowness.
Please create some space for yourself to unwind. Practice some deep breathing exercises, stretch it out with some yoga. Get rest and eat well. Take care of yourself. Stress is dangerous when left unchecked.
— S.S.Blake 🌿 (@Earthand_Water) December 17, 2018
A couple more tactics
Writing things down has also helped me to quiet my mind at times. Before bed or before meditation, make a list of everything you need to do. Keep a journal and pour everything into it.
Often times, these cluttered thoughts just want to feel heard and acknowledged. I mean, don’t you? If we allow the paper to hold them, we don’t have to.
Another practice that I do from time to time is dump all of the contents of my brain on the floor beside me.
Close your eyes and imagine a zipper around the top of your head. Unzip it, scoop out all of the clutter (picture it as random objects, maybe representing thoughts, maybe just formless figures) and lie them in the floor beside you. State “I don’t need this right now. I’ll pick you back up later.” and then zip your head back up. You’re now free.
Other posts you may enjoy:
- How to Navigate The Stigma of Neurodivergences and Learning Disabilities
- When a Neurodivergent Mind Made You a Leader: Shamanism & an Esoteric Reality
- How Martial Arts Helps You Manifest Your Goals & Improve Your Mental Health
- How to Build Community Through Authenticity ; Find Your Village & Banish Loneliness
- Are We Pathologizing the Human Experience? How Alchemy Can Help Your Mental Health
Author
S.S.Blake; Spiritual Life Coach, Yoga + Meditation Teacher and Founder of Earth and Water
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