Top 5 tools for meditation during the pandemic
This post is about my top 5 tools for meditation during the pandemic. I have had a keen interest in meditation for a while but never really got into it. Firstly, I like meditation because a lot of people swear by it. Secondly, research in psychotherapy has shown that meditation is effective in calming the mind. And finally but most importantly I want to live authentically. My gut tells me that meditating will be a step in the right direction. I never got into meditation however, because firstly, it seems like a lot of work. Secondly, it's a foreign concept to my family and social circle so it has never been 'normalised'. And thirdly, the 'thought leaders' I listened to as a child were anti-meditation because they assumed that meditation was anti-Christianity. This in my opinion and in David's (from the bible in Psalms) is untrue.
Why meditating in this pandemic is essential
The panic of this novel Coronavirus is crazy. Fear ((https://theconversation.com/fear-can-spread-from-person-to-person-faster-than-the-coronavirus-but-there-are-ways-to-slow-it-down-133129)) , doubts, anger, discrimination ((https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/13/asia/china-guangzhou-african-blacklash-hnk-intl/index.html)) and blame ((https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/25/blame-china-and-xi-jinping-for-coronavirus-pandemic/)) have been all over the news lately. Although, these responses are understandable, depending on the perspective you take, they aren't necessarily giving us the peace of mind we need
Fear can spread from person to person faster than the coronavirus – but there are ways to slow it down. That's an article by Jacek Debiec over at The Conversation. The article explores the idea of 'fear contagion'. I will include a little excerpt but follow this link for more: https://theconversation.com/fear-can-spread-from-person-to-person-faster-than-the-coronavirus-but-there-are-ways-to-slow-it-down-133129.
As cases of COVID-19 proliferate, there’s a pandemic of fear unfolding alongside the pandemic of the coronavirus. Media announce mass cancellations of public events “over coronavirus fears.” TV stations show images of “coronavirus panic shopping.” Magazines discuss attacks against Asians sparked by “racist coronavirus fears.” Due to the global reach and instantaneous nature of modern media, fear contagion spreads faster than the dangerous yet invisible virus. Watching or hearing someone else who’s scared causes you to be frightened, too, without necessarily even knowing what caused the other person’s fear. As a psychiatrist and researcher studying the brain mechanisms of social regulation of emotions, I frequently see in clinical and experimental settings how powerful fear contagion can be.
Excerpt from The Conversation by Jacek Debiec
So meditate to keep that fear in check! Without further ado, here are my top 5 tools for meditation during the pandemic:
Tool for meditation number 1: YouTube
YouTube has always been a game changer so what I can I say? (lol)
Pros
- It's free to use
- Has an extensive library from various thought leaders
- There's something for everyone e.g Christians, mainstream audience, yogis, Buddhists, Hindus, law of attraction
- Various levels and lengths are available to meet you at your needs
- It's easy to use
- Guided meditation are available and are suitable for beginners like me
Cons
- "Discover audible with an audio book on us.." an ad by Audible might play while you are deep in your meditation
- If you have a basic account, you can't exit the app. So if you relax too much and press the wrong button that might break your focus
- Too much choice might be confusing especially for us beginners
- There might be distractions since the tool has so many offerings. Don't watch a comedy skit on your way to meditating.
Calm
I find this app useful for especially for sleeping.
Pros
- Friendly user interface that tailors to your needs
- Great visuals and soundscapes
- Handy app
- Free to download and use on select items
- Did I mention that the soundscapes are phenomenal
- No ads
- Guided meditation
Cons
- The free version is super limited
- To get the most out of it you have to pay a fee
Books
Reading is my favourite thing to do. This is because it transports you to the place you choose to go to. Moreover, reading is so engrossing that it causes your mind to focus and tune things out. Now isn't that the purpose of meditating? I don't know if reading counts as meditating but I find that for me it does. And at the end of the day, it's all about choosing what works for you. So here are the pros and cons of reading:
Pros
- Reading is task orientated so it might seem more natural than physically meditating
- You can read whatever genre you like thus being more authentic to your preferances
- You are killing many birds with one stone, for example, learning new concepts, vocabulary and meditating
Cons
- Libraries are shut so this might be a bit of an expensive hobby overtime
- Not everyone finds reading relaxing so it might not be ideal for you
Yoga
I don't know if what I do counts as yoga but alas I do it anyway because it works for me. I have a mat and I do stretchy poses that I couldn't even begin to name. But I find that once again, our friends over at YouTube can also help in this area. So this is tool number 4 in the top 5 tools for meditation during the pandemic.
Pros
- You stretch your body as well as meditating
- You focus on breath control which is an essential part to staying calm
- It's free. If you don't have a yoga mat you can improvise but mats aren't super expensive anyway.
- You can use YouTube or paid apps to guide you
- Relatively cheap
Cons
- The learning curve can be steep for the poses so this defies the whole point
- If you don't know the poses you have to keep your eyes open which I find can make meditating difficult
Improvisation
You know yourself best and you know what relaxes. So why not create your own way of meditating? Here are a few ideas on what could work.
Image from Etsy (LuazurHOME) 
Image from Goodhousekeeping.com 
Image by whoalice-moore from Pixabay
This is super simple. Just create an environment that makes you relax. Aromatherapy (candles, essential oils etc) can be very helpful.
Pros
- You can tailor this to your own needs and likes
- At your own budget
- Can be fitted in your own schedule (or lack thereof) so no hustle of forcing things
- You get to do what you like
- Gives you more autonomy
Cons
- No guidance so you might not know how to get to a meditative state
Conclusion
I believe that we should all meditate because through meditation we get to know ourselves and our environment better. For example, we get to know our fears and what causes us to panic. And also, this is a great starting point to confronting our fears. Moreover, we become less bothered about the little things. For instance, we become more patient and put things into perspective a bit better. So, we lead stress less lives. And you know, the less stress we have, the less health problems we experience ((https://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/4-reasons-you-should-meditate-and-how-to-get-started/)) . Are you going to try meditating? Or have you been meditating for a while now? Please do let me know. Have a great day everyone.
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