5 Short Meditation Techniques (Wipe Out Restless Energy)

Do you struggle with restless energy? Have questions about how to meditate, like “Can you meditate with your eyes open,” “Can it be a short meditation?” There is so much information about meditation that you can get overwhelmed.

I’m going to introduce you to ways you can easily do meditation centering to decrease your restless energy. You may get lost in all of the information out there on meditation.

Y’all know I’m not big on trends, but when it comes to meditation, I am making an exception. Meditation now seems to be “trendy.” I’m ok with being “trendy” this time because meditation can truly change your life for the better. Yes, I know that meditation has been around for thousands of years, but over the last ten-fifteen years it has become a buzz word.

For me, the simplest way to begin a mindfulness practice is to start with a short meditation. Now, when you think about meditation, do you think of a yogi sitting perfectly still with thumbs connected to ring fingers for endless hours?

If so, let that image go. There are so many different forms of meditation and they all provide benefits for restless energy.

Now, to answer the question, “Can you meditate with your eyes open?” Yes, you can. Also, you don’t have to have a special place to meditate. It can be anywhere and in any moment.

I’m going to give you a few non-traditional ways to do some meditation centering. My guess is that you are already doing some of these. So, your work is to just make yourself aware that you are already doing meditation centering.

5 Short Meditation Methods to Get Meditation Centering Benefits:

1. Sit outside and allow yourself to be aware of all the sounds, colors, smells, and shapes of nature.
2. When taking a bath or shower, let yourself be aware of how the water feels on your body and imagine the water washing away any negative thoughts that creep in.
3. Sit in your car for 5 minutes before getting out and breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds and audibly exhale for 5 seconds.
4. Lie down on the floor and let a heaviness sink into your body and feel yourself melting into the floor with each breath you take.
5. Rub your hands together vigorously for 30 seconds, then move your now-warmed hands down your body starting with your head and moving down your body.

Each of these methods qualifies as a meditation or mindfulness practice. They will help you get rid of that restless energy because they are each a type of centering meditation.

Are you thinking that you may naturally be incorporating some of these meditation centering techniques? You might also be thinking that they seem a little too simple.

Well, if you so, then you are correct. However, the important thing is to now become aware that you are actually just doing an easy, short meditation.

Explanation of Each Method

Let me explain my theories behind each of these techniques. I’ll also give you some guidance on building these into your daily life. That will help you significantly reduce your constant restless energy.

The first short meditation requires you to connect with nature. Now, I know all of you may not live in a place where this is easy or possible.

I live in Mississippi. So, it’s always possible for me to easily slip outside for a few moments regardless of the time of year. So, for those of you who may live in busy cities, you can also do this by simply looking at an indoor plant.

The reason this technique works is because you are forcing yourself to be more aware of your senses. If you are smelling the air or a plant, that turns your brain off for a moment.

Paying attention to what you see and hear also allows your brain to turn off those thoughts in order to truly see and hear what you are experiencing. Now, the only sense that is not a play in each short meditation is taste.

Please don’t go licking dirt or eating a plant that you don’t know is edible or not. Making yourself sick will really hinder your ability to do any kind of centering meditation!

Every Day Activities for Meditation Centering

Method Number Two is something that we can all do. So, don’t comment and tell me that none of these methods are possible for you!

Whether it is a shower or a bath, using water for a short mediation can always calm restless energy. There is just something calming about water.

If you want to step your centering mediation practice up a level, turn on some calming music. I like to do that and light some candles to really incorporate as many senses as possible.

No matter how you do this method or for how long, you are still getting the benefits of meditation centering. You may begin the short meditation and then your restless energy or anxious thoughts may pop back up.

That is ok and very normal when you are beginning any short meditation practice. When you become aware that you are no longer focused on the water, just simply return to it without any judgment.

Beginning your Day with a Centering Meditation

Short Meditation Method Number Three can be done at the beginning and/or end of your day. It’s a great way to begin or end your workday.

Focusing on your breath is not hard when it comes to practicing centering meditation, but you probably don’t do it often if at all. So, I am giving you a way to incorporate it into your daily routine.

As with all of these methods, practicing them will become routine for you. When a short meditation can become routine for you, then that restless energy will significantly decrease.

Centering Meditation Method Number Four is also a technique that anybody can do. This is great to do when your restless energy is overwhelming you.

Just simply lie down on the floor. Pay attention to everybody body part that is touching the floor. Let your body get heavier and heavier with each breath you take.

This is literally grounding you to the floor. This meditation technique can be done multiple times a day. As with the other methods, there is no wrong way to do this.

So, if your negative self-talk starts chatting with you, remind yourself that you can’t screw this up. Now, Method Number Five is one that gives you a “place” to put that restless energy. Just put your palms together and start rubbing them up and down.

You will quickly begin to feel the heat of the energy you are creating. When you feel a lot of heat, begin moving your hands down your body.

As I mentioned, start with the top of your head, then slowly move to your face and down the rest of your body. If your hands aren’t staying warm, just start over with rubbing your hands.

The reason this works is that you are using your own energy to center your body. You are slowing your mind and body to be present and connected to yourself.

Creating Time for Meditation

Throughout our busy days, we become more and more disconnected from our bodies and the healthy parts of our minds. These short meditation techniques will bring you back to focus on yourself in a healthy manner. They will allow you to take your mind off all the to-dos of your day and everything else that is constantly floating through your mind.

Please don’t tell me or yourself that you don’t have time for a short meditation during your day. That is an absolute lie. If you believe that then you are having some resistance to practicing self-care.

If you really believe you don’t have time for these short and easy centering meditation practices, then you probably need to read my post 4 Ways of Creating Time for Self-Care Ideas. We all deserve to treat ourselves well. The reason that is a struggle is that you either don’t know how to do that or you consciously or subconsciously believe you don’t deserve it.

If the reason you aren’t taking time for yourself and feel you can’t do these simple, short meditation practices because you’ll screw them up, then you need to read my post The Creation of Negative Self-Talk. That post will help you understand why you don’t believe you deserve good things like self-care.

Now, that you have read about my short meditation methods and see how easily they can be done, has your mind changed about whether or not you can meditate?

Can you see that meditation is not just reserved for yogis who can meditate for hours on end? Starting a meditation practice does not have to be scary or hard.

The benefits of doing these centering meditation methods are huge. You, your mind, your body and your soul deserve these mini breaks from life.

Teaching Children Meditation Centering Practices

Now, for those of you who are parents, I can’t not mention your kids and meditation. Please teach your children these easy meditation techniques.

Let them see you doing them and let them do them with you. Just think about how different your life would be if somebody had taught you how to do this.

For myself, I know it would’ve meant that my depression and anxiety that I had throughout most of my life would’ve been greatly decreased. Children deserve that, don’t they? So, pass that on to your kids.

I promise your kids will thank you one day because they won’t have to read a blog post about how to meditate or how to create time to do so. It will already be a natural and normal part of their daily lives.

If you find these short meditation techniques helpful or have any questions when you begin, please comment. I will respond to help guide you. Your questions are probably questions that others in the Not Good Enough Stuff community also have.

Enjoy your time using these centering meditation methods. For the millionth time, remember that you cannot do these wrong. If you do them at all or even for .5 seconds, you are doing them right!

DISCLAIMER:

This site is only intended for people who are truly willing to look at themselves with an open mind and have the ability to truly be vulnerable with themselves and others. Please understand that this site is in NO WAY THERAPEUTIC ADVICE. However, this site can be very beneficial in learning the causes of your Not Good Enough Stuff. This site is not intended to provide or replace medical or psychiatric treatment. Mary Beth HIGHLY RECOMMENDS finding a licensed therapist to help you process the information from this site and all that you learn about yourself. Visit Psychology Today to find a licensed therapist in your area.