Three Non-traditional Meditation Ideas to Try Right Away

Meditation is a powerful tool for improving mental health, reducing stress, and increasing mindfulness. But if you’re the type who cannot sit still and watch your breath or chant a particular mantra to keep focus, it’s time be time to spice it up and switch your meditation routine. And one of these techniques might be something you actually like doing, increasing the chance you’ll stick to it. And, no, it does not include walking.

Here are three non-traditional meditation ideas to add some variety to your practice.

Draw, Color or Do Jigsaw

Creative tasks command our focus, and doing those can be very calming. Drawing freehand or colouring mandala books is a great example. Arts especially drawing, engage the brain and prevent our attention from being diverted.

A friend of mine loves doing jigsaw puzzles. She has a collection — of puzzles from 300 pieces to giant ones with 5000 pieces.

Occasionally, she is tucked away in her room on a huge carpet laying out the pieces. It’s her me time, and only the smell of a good coffee can disturb her state of flow.

Take your pick.

As long as the activity keeps you in the here and now, it can be a joyful and restorative experience.

Take a Trip to the Cinema

When watching a film, whether at home or at the cinema, we let ourselves be transported away on the emotional wave. The plot, scene, and atmosphere leave us in awe.

We get a break from ourselves and the thoughts that occupied our minds minutes ago. We are living the experience with the actors on screen.

Ambiguity or the unknown is not always a bad thing. If you stay with the plot, you are involved in the film rather than guessing what happens next and how it will end.

Embrace the unknown to favour being in the present. It is non-traditional, but a meditation.

Explore a Challenging Skill

When wrapping our heads around something new or a craft we’ve never tried, we first focus on mastering the basics. And that is the toughest hurdle to overcome.

My sister recently took up spoon carving as a hobby. She has never so much as hammered a nail before. So we were sure it was a passing phase.

But the harder it got, the more she was at it. And for hours.

We had to remind her once when it turned dark that maybe she should finish sanding the spoon the next day. She did not realise when the sun set, and dinner time passed.

Whether things were going her way or not, she was so engrossed in turning out a finished (not great, just finished) product that her mind was just centred.

It did not wander even once.

If You’d Rather Not Do Any of These, There Is Always Housework.

Don’t underestimate the value of the rote, mundane nature of housekeeping tasks in retaining your full attention.

Often, most tasks can be done on auto-pilot, where you are in a ‘do not disturb’ mental zone. You’ll be involuntarily practising mindfulness and even relaxing a little.

Being meditation doesn’t have to be boring or done only using a popular framework. By trying out these non-traditional meditation ideas, you can add variety to your practice and find new ways to relax and centre yourself.

Hi, I am Nalanda. I write about Adventure Travel, Personal Effectiveness and stories from the rich tapestry of LIFE! If you liked this article, you’ll love my Newsletter — Get, Set, Adventure. Get it once every two weeks.