Meditation is a great way to calm and focus yourself if you have the ADD brain type. In fact, research has shown that mediation has the power to not only calm you down, but retrain your brain to work better. Meditation is also good for gaining perspective and helping you make better decisions and choices. All of these attributes of meditation are especially suited to help people with the ADD gene acquire better control over their lives.
There is not just one way to meditate successfully. The one that works for you will be the right one for you. You don’t have to sit in the Lotus position for two hours unless that happens to be a meditation style that is comfortable and effective for you. Sitting in a chair, walking in the woods, lying down (as long as you aren’t falling asleep), sitting on the side of the bed, sitting with a group or guru, assuming a particular yoga position – all of these are ways to meditate that you can explore to find the one that fits you the best.
What is important is that you are able to access the benefits of your meditation practice.
Those benefits are whatever you say you want them to be and usually include the following:
(1) Letting go of the tension in the muscles and particularly the neck, shoulders, jaw and behind
(2) Releasing anxiety, frustration and conflicting emotions and obtaining a neutral state
(3) Checking in with, and listening to, your inner wise voice – the one that knows the truth about who you are and what is best for you
(4) Reconnecting to your spirit/soul - that part of you that knows and understands your history through time
(5) Allowing your inner-self to guide you to make the right decisions and do the right thing
If you haven’t meditated before please keep the following in mind so you do not get discouraged:
(1) Expect to be distracted for a while because everyone goes through this stage. This stage can take weeks or months but it will not last forever and with practice you will eventually get the result you are looking for. What I often recommend to make it easier is to keep a pad of paper next to you. When stuff comes up that you feel it’s important to remember or do, write it down until nothing else surfaces; then your mind can become blank.
(2) It is much easier at the beginning if you choose the same hour and same location for your meditation every time. This is because a consistent habit of meditation preparation will get you in the mood and settled state of mind faster and more easily than random times/places that are constantly changing.
(3) It is always best to choose a comfortable, quiet, safe and soothing place to meditate. Candles, aromatherapy, incense, water fountains or water falls, a beautiful spot in your garden, a comfortable rug or chair, and cup of tea are all examples of things that can set the mood for relaxing and taking time for yourself.
(4) Choose a period of time for meditating that feels realistic. Some people like to begin with 15 minutes and build up to more time as they get better at relaxing and calming their mind. It is important to begin with what works for you. Nothing creates success like success, so make your initial practice rewarding no matter how long you meditate for. You’ll get better but it will require patience. Remember this is a gift you are giving not only yourself but those around you, because they will love the change in you.
(5) It is always a good idea to find a group of meditators or a meditation teacher near where you live to learn from. This often makes it easier to begin because the environment is usually very conducive to a successful mediation practice.
In conclusion, remember that you will not only be removing stress, anxiety and tension from your body, emotions and life, but you will also gain the benefits of being more focused and less distracted, more thoughtful and less impulsive, more calm and less quick to anger, more confident and less confused and in general more in harmony with your life.
Carol Gignoux, M.Ed., the Founder of ADDinsights, LLC, is a well established expert within the ADHD coaching, consulting and training profession with over 35 years experience working with ADHD. Carol and her team of experts specialize coaching adults, couples, small business owners, and entrepreneurs.
Carol is currently writing her book, The Asset: Your Success Gene and the Myth of ADD. Please join Carol in her exceptional journey as she writes from the heart, chapter by chapter, her experiences and observations. She offers concrete tips and tools that “rAfters” can draw upon to change their ADD/ADHD from a deficit to an asset!