So I can’t meditate.  No, let me rephrase that.  Until very recently, I thought I was incapable of the art of meditation.  I tried a yoga class once, and it was seriously not my thing.  We had to hold these awkward poses, and all my brain could say was “OK, what’s next?”

This is not how I meditate

Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn’t be a good thing for an antsy person like me to take yoga so I can learn to relax, but that’s not it either.  I know how to relax.  I love reading, sunbathing, and taking a nap.  That’s all relaxation, but not really meditation.

So I just let the whole meditation thing go for a while.  Then one day, I was telling a good friend why I love swimming so much.  I said, “I love swimming!  You just stick your head in the water, think of nothing except counting laps and concentrating on form, and you don’t have to worry about anyone else around you.”  And my friend said, “Oh, so that’s how you meditate.”

I had never thought of it that way.  But you know, I think my friend is right.  When I start my day by swimming, I start my day relaxed.  When I’m swimming, I really think of nothing except the aspects of swimming itself.  I stick my head in the water, I count my laps, I think of numbers and the movements as I’m doing them.  It’s the same in open water.  Whereas I’m not counting laps, I’m still concentrating on my movements and not thinking about the worries of the day.

Meditation doesn’t have to mean yoga

This image looks just as relaxing and beautiful to me. As a matter of fact, it looks like a better setting for meditation than any yoga studio.

Perhaps it’s not a very traditional method of meditation, but it’s doing something I love that relaxes me, clears my mind, and helps me to take on the day.

So you know what?  I think I’ll get over not liking yoga, and keep on with my swimming.

Do you have an unusual method of meditation?  Leave a comment; I’d love to hear about it.