... is for Zen
Z
... is for Zen
CVdM : Which we are all going to need to make it through the traffic , debauchery and craziness that the Super Bowl is going to bring to
H-town next month . We asked radio personality DEVI BROWN ( who also happens to be married to
Texan DUANE BROWN ) to share some tips on finding our own karma-bliss . Brown recently became a certified meditation teacher and launched her own retail and lifestyle brand called , you guessed it – Karma Bliss . by Carla Valencia de Martinéz | Photo courtesy of Devi Brown
DB : In the past , when I ’ d hear about meditation , I always imagined it as something that only enlightened monks or hippies living “ off the land ” in remote places could do . I never imagined that I , an over-stressed , meat- and cocktail-loving , hip-hop radio personality , could tackle something as huge and mystifying as … being quiet . Well , several years , many personal awakenings and countless meditative moments later , I ’ ve transformed from skeptical side eye-er into the kind of person that uses ALL of her accrued vacation time to go on meditation retreats . Oh , and did I mention that I fell so in love with being still that I decided to dedicate my life to it and become a certified meditation teacher ? Yeah , that happened too . So before you decide to tell me all of the reasons why you can ’ t possibly start a meditation practice , let me give you a few tips to get you started !
1 . Commit to a time . Whether it ’ s 10 minutes or 25 minutes ( 25 minutes 2x per day is ideal ), schedule meditation into your routine like you would any other appointment or meeting . This is 100 % “ ME Time ” so don ’ t shortchange yourself by skipping over it . If you can find the time to scroll through your social media feeds , then you can definitely find a few moments to be still and quiet .
2 . Change your mind . Look at meditation as an investment . This is something you are doing so that you can enhance the quality of your life ( and the quality of your Super Bowl week !). Meditation can improve your mental , physical and emotional health . Shifting your thoughts from looking at it as impossible or boring to it being a wise investment makes it not only much more enjoyable , but will strengthen your daily commitment to it .
3 . You can do it anywhere . Meditation is FREE and can be done absolutely anywhere . All that is required is silence and stillness . If the only time you can find to meditate is on your lunch break , for example , doing it from the car or at the park is perfect ! Similarly , if your house is busy and bustling , sneak into the bathroom or hide out in the closet . Even if that means doing it in your car in between Super Bowl events .
4 . Release your thoughts . Every single person that has ever wanted to meditate has the same worry : I think too much ; there is no way I can do this . Wrong ! We are alive , so of course we are going to have thoughts popping up in every moment . The trick with mediation is to release the thoughts as they come up . Meaning , instead of continuing to dedicate head space to it ( todo list , work , family , dating … whatever ) you make the choice to stop thinking that thought and return to silence .
5 . Just start . With all the time you have spent talking yourself out of even attempting it (“ I ’ m too busy ,” “ I think too much ”), you could have already been well on your way to bliss ! When it comes to meditation , there is no risk involved . You truly have nothing to lose and everything to gain . So the next time you start debating with yourself all the reasons why meditation won ’ t work … just sit down comfortably , close your eyes , be quiet … and begin .
64 LOCAL | january 17