Escalator Meditation

There are all sorts of ordinary opportunities for calming down in the day to day rush of life. Escalators can be a very useful meditation device on a busy day! They are free, easy to use and available in Metro stations and department stores. Escalators provide a perfect opportunity to settle down and relax, after all theres nothing much to do but stand there. Theres not enough time to finish the crossword or do some knitting, but there is time to reconnect with yourself.

The process couldnt be easier, the hard part is remembering to do it.

Step 1: Get on the escalator safely, carefully avoid tripping over the toddler or bashing into the little old ladys shopping trolley. This is probably the hardest bit of the whole process.

Step 2: Now youre settled on the escalator, lightly grip the rail and bring your attention to your abdomen, becoming aware of the rythmn of your breathing. Dont do anything to change it, just notice it, be aware of the rise and fall of each breath as the escalator moves on. You might like to relax your stomach muscles a little as you do this. Just continue to breath and to be aware of the breathing as the escalator moves on. Keep your eyes open, sometime soon youre going to have to get off.

Step 3: When you get to the end of the escalator, release your grip and bring your attention to the business of getting off the escalator safely, once more avoiding the toddler and the shopping trolley. You may find that you can continue to be aware of your breathing as you do this. If so, bravo!

Thats all there is to it. A simple mindless occasion turned into a an opportunity to calm down by the application of a little awareness. This approach also works for lifts, and if you like a challenge: queues and bus journeys.

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What is meditation?

Meditation usually refers to a state in which the body is consciously relaxed and the mind is allowed to become calm and focused. Several major religions include ritual meditation; however, meditation itself need not be a religious or spiritual activity. Most of the more popular systems of meditation are of Eastern origin, though there exists also various forms of Christian, Jewish and Muslim meditation.
Meditation as a form of alternative medicine brings about mental calmness and physical relaxation by suspending the stream of thoughts that normally occupy the mind. Generally performed once or twice a day for approximately 20 minutes at a time, meditation is used to reduce stress, alter hormone levels, and elevate one's mood.
A discipline in which the mind is focused on a single point of reference. Employed since ancient times in various forms by all religions, the practice gained greater notice in the post war US as interest in Zen Buddhism rose. Meditation is now used by many nonreligious adherents as a method of stress reduction; known to lower levels of cortisol, a hormone released in response to stress. Enhances recuperation and improves the body’s resistance to disease.
Meditation is an easy and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is easily learned and has been used as an aid in treating stress, anxiety, pain management, and as part of an overall treatment for other conditions including hypertension and heart disease. Research shows that meditation decreases the heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption, and even decreases blood pressure.