To turn coloring into a meditation experience, set up in a quiet environment. Put on some relaxing instrumental music. You may even want to lower the lights or light your room with soft lights. While you color, don’t think about anything that stresses you. Clear your mind and focus only on the coloring. Focus on the way the pencil or crayon moves across the paper. Focus on your breathing and the colors on the page. Let your subconscious go and your mind stay focused on the present activity, not on everything else.
When you focus on the scene, make is as clear and visual as possible. Don’t stop there. Also think about the way things in the scene taste, smell, feel, and sound. This guided imagery is a way for you to focus on something soothing for a few minutes to let go of tension and anxiety.
To do this focused meditation, get in a quiet room in a comfortable position. You may want to play relaxing instrumental music. Choose your focused activity. If you want to focus on breathing, take slow, deep controlled breaths over and over. You can close your eyes as you breath. If you want to repeat words, choose a mantra and repeat it slowly over and over again. Your mind should be focused on the activity during this time, not on anything else.
Take a moment to stop whatever you are doing. Either step aside or sit down somewhere. Take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it as you count to five. Exhale slowly. Repeat five times. To make sure you are breathing correctly, look at your lower abs. Your lower abdomen should expand outward as you inhale and go down as you exhale.
Start by sitting with your back straight. The tip of your tongue should be resting against the roof of your mouth right behind your teeth. Keep your tongue there, even when you exhale through your mouth past your tongue. Exhale to get out any air. Then, close your mouth. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold the breath as you count to seven. Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat that three times. You should complete four breaths in all.
Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure your back is straight and tilt your head forward slightly. Close your eyes and sit there for a moment breathing naturally. Exhale and count to your head one. Inhale slowly, and when you exhale, make a mental count of two. Continue repeating this until you hit five. When you hit five, start a new cycle. Exhale and count one. Repeat until you hit five. Repeat for 10 minutes.
Let your hands rest loosely by your side with the palms facing up or rest them on your torso. Remember, you should be comfortable. Your body should not be tense. Make sure to soften any tense places on your body, like your shoulders or jaw.
Be aware of the physical sensations of your body. Think about the temperature of your body and the air that touches your skin. Think about where your body touches the surface beneath you and the clothes you’re wearing.
Focus your mind on any thoughts or feelings you have in this moment. Try to keep your thoughts about this particular moment, not the past or present. Don’t judge your feelings, thoughts, or physical sensations. One of the points of meditation is to become aware without being judgmental. Eliminate all criticism and negativity in your mind. Replace it with positivity. Be kind to yourself.
Think about how your chest and abdomen moves because of your breathing. Remember not to judge. You are only observing. You are just breathing and being in the moment.
This expanded awareness can include the way your arms rest on the floor, the sound of your breath, the material of your shirt, or the sound of the music.
A meditation event may cover a topic like breathing meditation. Stress-relieving events are also good ways to get out of your dorm room or the library and socialize. Some campuses may have a meditation group. The meditation group may meet weekly or monthly for a block of time. This can be a good way to engage in meditation with someone guiding you through it. [13] X Research source
These spaces may play soothing music, provide low lighting, and even have zen gardens or small waterfalls to help relax you and provide an environment for meditation. The relaxation space may provide massage chairs. Some relaxation spaces include a resource library with books and videos on meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and stress-relief techniques.
The workshops cover the basics of common stress-relieving meditation techniques. The workshops also help you learn how to schedule time for meditation into your busy life.
The meditations are geared towards students and the stresses of daily life. Many of them are designed to be short in duration so you can fit them into your busy schedule. Some meditation recordings offered focus on rejuvenating your mind, while others are aimed towards helping you sleep.
