Meditating Behind the Wheel

Doesn't seem like a good idea, does it?  I feel a need to meditate twice per day.  In the morning, before the whirlwind demands of the day, I need that time when I say, "Just for now, I don't need to do anything."  During this time, I can see the world as it is without trying to control it.  It prepares me to then plunge into my projects without taking my goals so seriously.  And I need this again late in the day when I've been striving to accomplish things for so long that I need to be reminded again that I don't need to change things, don't need to control.

But when to find the time?  I've always wished that, occasionally, I could take advantage of my commute.  Can I meditate while driving?  "Take a deep breath and close your eyes."  Not a good idea, huh?

But mindfulness meditation provides an option.  This is the kind of meditation in which I notice whatever is going on in my mind and body without trying to change things.  The tension in my fingers, wrists, forearms and shoulders as I grip and turn the steering wheel.  I can't do it safely, but I know it would feel better to let my arms drop to the side and relax.  But the point in mindfulness meditation is to notice exactly how things are, to notice for example which muscles are tense and which are loose, without trying to change anything.

I notice my thoughts about what other drivers are doing and how I should react.  I notice thoughts come up about work, but I remind myself not to dwell on them.  Don't have a prolonged internal dialogue.  Two or three sentences at most and then move on.  For those thoughts that keep coming back, I'll look closely at the emotion that fuels their persistence.  Is it anxiety?  A desire to please someone?  Guilt?  Is it just something I enjoy doing?

To help me remember to stay focused, I turned again this morning to my favorite creator of iPhone meditation apps, Meditation Oasis.  Here's a link to their website:   meditationoasis.com.  I wrote about one of their apps recently in this post:  guru-in-my-iphone.  For the drive, I chose their app called "Take a Break".

This app is designed to be used when taking a break at work.  Knowing that you might listen to the app while sitting at your cubicle, the guide doesn't tell you to relax and close your eyes. She just guides you to notice  things without trying to change them.   Your brain shifts from the goal oriented left brain to the experience oriented, carefree, intuitive right brain.  And this morning, the 13 minutes of meditation took me from the parking lot of my hotel to the parking lot at work.