Enhanced Meditation
LESSONS:
ENHANCED MEDITATION
Seven products that help you disconnect from your surroundings, calm your thoughts, and find your center.
- Written By
- Patty Tortolani
Do you actually need anything to meditate? No. You do not. The practice of meditation, which has been around for centuries, requires only somewhere to sit—and a little willpower. This is why, to be honest, I was a little resistant to writing this Guide. However, as someone who has meditated in an airport lounge, at the office, and on an open-air pavilion overlooking the Costa Rican rainforest, I can say with confidence: your surroundings do matter. And, as we at VIOLET GREY know, our surroundings can always be improved.
I’ve been practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM) for nearly four years. Twenty minutes, twice a day, every day. Why do I do it? For mental health, stress relief, the struggle and the accomplishment of having a regular practice. Because it gets me enlightened (wink). I find a place to sit comfortably, close my eyes, follow my breath, and begin to repeat my mantra. That’s it. Sounds easy, right? Some days it is. On other days I find myself bailing out early. And because I really like to be good at things (or, put another way, have a very low tolerance for being bad at anything), I’ve been mindful, over the years, of how I can improve my practice.
One of my favorite meditation instructors Kiki Ellenby, who has been teaching TM since the 70s, likes to remind me that there is no “good” or “bad” meditation. But, when I have the time, some helpful tools bring on the Costa Rican jungle vibes even if I can still hear departure gate announcements blaring over the intercom.