Meditating with beautiful words.

Today, I will introduce the meditation I actually practice.

There are many ways to meditate, aren't there?
However, I believe the basic parts are common.
That is, focusing on "being here and now".

What is here and now?

Yes! It is yourself.

You, breathing.
You, feeling a little sleepy.
You, facing the computer.
You, taking a bath.

Feeling yourself in each and every moment is meditation.

At that time, distracting thoughts will inevitably arise.

Unpleasant things that happened today.
A scene from a fun trip.
A child's smile.
Past trauma.

I think everyone understands that bad memories from the past are distracting thoughts.
However, fun memories and happy memories also become distracting thoughts.

Recalling a fun memory,

Thinking, "Ah, that was fun," is totally okay.

The problem arises when attachment enters into it.

For example...

"The trip I went on last year was fun."
Up to here is okay!

However, from here on...

"I wish that kind of fun happened every day."
"If I changed jobs to something freer, could I have fun days like that every day?"
"That's right, my current job doesn't suit me,
the relationships are not good, I have few days off, and so on..."

The emotion that was just fun at first gradually shifts into negative ideas
and fills your mind.
Then, it becomes a distracting thought.

And, gradually, you become attached to those fun days.

Such a state is far removed from the state of
"being here and now" that I mentioned at the beginning.

I have digressed a little, but,

Meditation = feeling yourself here and now as you are.
By focusing on inhaling and exhaling, you clean your mind.

When I first started standard meditation, I also
initially focused on inhaling and exhaling,

Perhaps because I spent my days accustomed to having distracting thoughts,
at first, even though I was supposed to be focusing on inhaling and exhaling, distracting thoughts would unconsciously fill my mind,
and they would turn into negative delusions.

The next thing I tried was the gratitude meditation mentioned in the title.
I meditate by bringing to mind things that happened that day for which I should be grateful.

“I am grateful to have spent another day safely.”
“I am grateful that I was able to focus on my hobbies today.”
“I am grateful that work finished safely again today.”

By doing this, I was able to focus on being grateful without giving any space for distracting thoughts to arise.

However, as I continued,
as someone who is basically negative,

when I continued saying words of gratitude every day,
I started to feel like I was going to be crushed by the gratitude,
and in the end, it started to become emotionally exhausting.

When I had failed at meditation many times, the word 'kotodama' (spirit of words) came to my mind.

Kotodama is considered to be the mysterious power that resides in words.
If you use good words, good things happen.
If you use bad words, bad things happen.

In gratitude meditation, the very act of bringing to mind the good things of the day became painful, and I failed.

So, I changed my approach and
“Thank you”
“Happy”
“It’s okay”
I decided to chant only these good words like a mantra during meditation.

To explain in a little more detail,

While inhaling → “Thank you, thank you, thank you”
While exhaling → “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay”

I don't think at all about what specifically I am saying thank you for.
Truly, I just repeat the words in my head.

I do this for an amount of time that doesn't feel like a burden.

Since I still can't do it for a long time,
it ends in a few minutes. At most, five minutes.

I do this short five-minute session many times throughout the day.

I don't worry about the location or posture either.
(Because if there are too many rules, I end up not doing it (lol))

While cleaning...
While soaking in the bath...
While in the restroom...
and so on.

There are many good words and beautiful words, but
the word I recommend as an HSP is
the word “It’s okay”!!

For people who are always trying too hard at everything and keeping their guard up,

“It’s okay” really hit home the most (^-^)

"You are already doing your best."
"You don't need to worry, everything will be fine."
"There is nothing to fear. Please, rest easy."

Let such words soak into your heart.

The meditation I introduced this time is very simple🙋

If you find meditation intimidating, why not give this a try?

Take a break from overthinking,

and why not heal your brain with the medicine of beautiful, lovely words?