The Top 10 Ways to Quiet Your Mind

Originally Submitted on 8/28/96.

Is your mind awash in all kinds of debris--trivia, worries, "to do" lists? If you're not sure, you might want to read Top Ten List #62, "Top Ten Ways to Tell If Your Mind Is Quiet". If your are (sure) and it is (awash), read on. Here are ten ways to quiet the mental noise.

1. Meditate on a "mantra".

A mantra is a nonsense word or sound such as Ahhhh, Ommmm, or Hmmmm. It doesn't mean anything but, repeated over and over, it lulls the conscious mind into a restful state where slower alpha waves replace the faster waking beta waves. Generally, it takes from two to four minutes to begin feel the effects. After that, you simply drop deeper and deeper into a meditative state. For some people, mantric meditation works fine. For others,it seems to be an opportunity for the subconscious mind to dredge up everything it's been wanting to tell you for weeks! If that's your experience, i.e., it ISN'T peaceful, you may want to skip the mantric form and move on.

2. Folow your breath.

There is another way to meditate, and it produces somewhat different effects than the mantric form above. Both methods will enable you to relax and shift into a different state of consciousness. In the event that the mantric form proves too difficult, you may want to try this. Get in a comfortable sitting position. Inhale through your nose, hold your breath for perhaps a second or so, and then slowly exhale from the lower abdominal region by gently forcing the air downward and out. Continue breathing this way until it feels natural and easy. This can take some time, maybe several sessions of ten to twenty minutes each. With practice, however, you'll find that this form of breathing relaxes both mind and body. You remain awake, aware (not "tuned out" as in mantric meditation), and relaxed. In this state, it's very likely that eveything seems distant and nothing bothers you. Before long, yous'l find it comfortable to breathe in this manner and then simply "follow" your breaths, particularly your exhalations. With practice, you'll discover that it is a powerful way to quiet both mind and body.

3. Focus on the "one point".

Your "one point" is a point about two inches below the navel where, according to Zen lore, everything balances physically and psychologically. If yo wantg toknow more about this concept, you may want to look at Top Ten List #30, "Tops Ten Ways to Develop Positive 'Ki' (Energy)". In any event, simply directing your mind to ths one point can have a powerful calming effect. As an assist, you can find your one point by looping your thumb aroaund your belt buckle (assuming you're wearing one) and allowing your large finger to touch your navel. The point where it touches is your one point. A bit of pressure there can help you focus. Incidentally, this is an excellent technique for regaining your composure, say, in a stressful meeting. Also, the act of focusing tends to regularize your breathing and lower your heart rate.

4. Find a safe harbor.

A safe harbor is simply a mental "place" to which you can retire whenever you choose. It may be an image of a childhood hideaway, a memory of an especially peaceful scene, or a "pciture" of your own creating. Whatever you choose, it's a place where you can go just by closing your eyes and visualizing it. It's a place where no one else can come. That's why it's called a "safe harabor."

5. Chew slowly.

Yes,that's what it says! When you become stressed, there are numerous side effects--your heart rate increases, your head starts pounding, your palms sweat and, if you're eating, you begin chewing faster. Chewing slowly can become a kind of meditation. So can digging in the garden, dropping pebbles in a pond, or petting your dog or cat. So, while chewing slowly is a healthful act in itself, it's also a metaphor for all those things you can do to gently SLOW DOWN.

6. Avoid stimulants.

If you're an inveterate coffee drinker, you may not like this one, but drinks that contain caffeine are not conducive to quieting your mind. Yes, they help you stay awake and may enhance your energy, but they are not quieting.

7. Reduce your fat intake.

A high fat intake can slow down your mind, but it will tend to leave you sluggish and groggy rather than energized and clear.Wonder why you're sleepy after a big dinner? You guessed it: fat. Reducing your fat intake helps regularize the entire system, including your mind. If you're dreading a day-long car drive because you recall others times them you've had to fight to stay awake and you arrived exhausted, try driving right past McDonaldss, Burger King and Fat City. Instead, stick with fruits, vegatables, water and juices. You'll be amazed how different you feel at the end of the day, AND your mind will be rested and quiet too.

8. Act deliberately.

There's a tactic in the martial arts in which you purposely adopt movements that are opposite to those of your opponent. If he/she moves quickly, you move slowly, and vice versa. The principle is not to adopt a particular pattern, but rather, to act deliberately, to use your opponent's movements as a way of defining your own course of action. Sounds paradoxical, I know, but it works. Outside the martial arts arena, the princple is more general: make your every move a deliberate one. Deliberateness by itself quiets your mind and infuses oneself with a sense of inner control.

9. Sit out under the stars.

When was the last time you sat outside in the dark and gazed at the stars? I don't mean when you last studied the constellations or went for a vigorous night walk. The star gazing I'm referring to is the kind that allows you to "feel" the immensity of infinite space. It's a quieting and, at the same time, invigorating experience. If you haven't tried it recently, tonight may be a good night.

10. Create easily accessible benchmark rhythms.

Use the sights and sounds around you. If you've ever slept on a train, you know how hypnotic the repetitive sound of the wheels on the tracks can be. There are literally hundreds of sounds around us each day that can be employed as a kind of consciousness mantra--the Pachobel Canon, a favorite piece of music with a steady measured tempo; the hum of a motor, the sound of the printer next to me, a clock ticking rhythmically on the wall, a gentle rain. Capture the rhythms of these sounds and use them to become quiet. If you're attentive, you'll discover them almost everywhere, and you'll realize that life can be a lot more peaceful than it often is.

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