Once upon a time, before the rapid increase of globalization, the average American worker traveled less than twenty minutes to work. Sounds like a dream, right?
Today, the average American worker spends 50 minutes commuting round-trip and that’s only the average. Many people log around 90 minutes traveling one-way to work. Add those hours up, and that’s a full 31.3 days a year spent moving back and forth between work and home! For those who desire to live a healthy lifestyle by fitting meditation and exercise into their daily routine, commuting can feel like a massive waste of time.
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Regular meditators who commute daily for work know how challenging it can be to fit meditation and spiritual practices into the morning and afternoon routine. And for those not in the practice of regularly meditating, establishing a meditation practice can seem nearly impossible when trying to balance work, family, and of course sleep on top of an already long commute.
Luckily, you do not have to choose between your commute and meditation!
1. Meditate on the train, bus, or plane
When you are commuting by train, it is an excellent time to pop on your headphones, close your eyes, and do a guided meditation. Worried about being distracted by surrounding noises? Don’t worry! You will be amazed by how quickly you tune out the outside world when listening to guided meditations. Many airlines offer guided meditations and relaxing music as their in-flight services.If you have your own practice, like Sahaj Samadhi,(an easy mantra based meditation technique) even better! You can easily meditate on a train, bus, or plane.
2. Listen to spiritual talks
Of course, meditating while driving is not recommended, as the last thing you want is to get too relaxed at the wheel! When driving, substitute nature sounds, soothing music, or spiritual discourses for guided meditations, and allow yourself to become centered and relaxed while maintaining a waking state before you begin your workday.
3. Tune into your breath
When you are walking or biking, you can pay attention to your breath and notice as your mind wanders, gently bringing it back to your breath. This practice is an excellent way to gain awareness of your mind and become centered in the present moment.
Try one of these techniques on your next commute and experience yourself the difference. Make your commute more enjoyable and relaxing. Not just your commute, but your whole day!
Do you spend a significant amount of time commuting? If so, what are some creative ways that you can fit meditation into your transit?
Write to us to share your ideas and experience at blog@us.artofliving.org
