How To Meditate When Your Mind Is Buzzing With Thoughts

January 4, 2020May 20, 2019 by Satish

I can still remember that terrible night.

It was my last day at work. I had decided to quit my job. It was a very big decision for me as I had no concrete plans for future. This can be quite scary especially when you have a family and fixed commitments to pay 🙁

I remember that night when I was traveling back home my mind was buzzing with thoughts. One after the another my mind was engulfed with anxious thoughts. In no time I started doubting myself, my capabilities and started worrying excessively as to how are things going to shape up for me in the future.

I had completely lost control over my thoughts. As soon as I laid my head on the pillows, I started begging for some sleep. My mind was just not at peace and thoughts were racing through my head.

Has this ever happened to you ?

Perhaps, you have gone through a break up or you have an important deadline to meet and your mind is constantly chatting. Have you been a victim to thoughts of pressure, failure, anxiety, worry and lost your sleep ? If yes, then what do you do to stop your racing mind ?

Has Anyone Suggested You “Meditation” ?

The reason I posed you the above question is that this is exactly what was suggested to me that dreadful morning when I got up from the bed knowing I do not have a job anymore 🙁

To be very frank with you, I had heard about meditation before and read about its benefits. In fact, I had tried meditating before however was unsuccessful. So I was in no mood to give it another try, instead thought of using my time to look for a new job.

However I had to find a way to stop my racing mind as I was getting agitated and angry. I so wanted my mind to be at peace. So the third day after my job loss, I decided I shall meditate today and see if I can find some peace of mind. Guess what…it worked for me 🙂

Today I am going to share with you the same exact techniques which I still use to calm my mind. If you practice these techniques you will most likely be able to put brakes on a non-stop train of thoughts.

To learn how to set up a daily meditation practice effortlessly, I highly recommend you check out >>> Master Your Mind Beginner’s Meditation Course

First Technique: The 4 – 7 – 8 Method

This technique was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil which forces the mind and body to focus on regulating the breath rather than ruminating over thoughts.

It is one of the easiest methods to do and the benefits are immediate. I strongly suggest you try this right away and it is perfect for anyone who is looking to quiet or calm their mind whenever they are feeling anxious.

Sit comfortably on a chair, make sure when you sit, your back is straight.
Let out a deep exhale, along with big sigh or whooshing sound through your mouth.
Close your mouth and slowly inhale through your nose for a count of four i.e. (from 1 to 4)
Hold your breath till the count of seven i.e. (from 4 to 7)
Exhale slowly through your mouth on eight, make sure to let out a big sigh or whooshing sound.
This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle for a total of five breaths.

Always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation.

Second Technique: Two Minute Meditation Hack

This is another technique which can be combined or performed after the above technique. This two minute meditation will help you regain control of your thoughts and ground you to your present moment.

The more you practice this technique, you will only get better at training your mind to focus on the present moment and banish all your anxiety.

Sit comfortably on a chair, make sure when you sit, your back is straight.
First look around and notice where you are.
Then close your eyes and hear the surrounding sounds, whether that is baby crying, horns honking or your coworkers banging away on their keyboards.
Now take one deep breath to settle yourself.
Then pay attention to your breath, feel the inhalation the moment the air touches your nostrils, feel the sensations in your body i.e. feel the air fill up your chest and belly. As you exhale notice the air leaving at the tip of the nostrils.
Simply repeat this cycle for five deep breaths, just concentrate on your breath.

The core aspect of both above techniques is that you can interrupt and put brakes to your fast paced thought train. You do not have to sit in lotus position for three hours to achieve the much-needed peace of mind. Just close your eyes and start to focus on your breathing.

Can I Request You Something ?

Now that you are aware and have probably tried the above techniques, I am hoping you have noticed a difference in your state of mind before and after doing these exercises. Now can I request you something – Can you make this a part of your daily routine ?

Even if your mind is not racing, just take out five minutes daily, sit quietly and focus on your breathing. By focusing on your breathing you put your mind into a relaxed state. If thoughts pop into your mind, acknowledge them (don’t get attached to your thought) and concentrate on breathing in and out.

I know you dislike meditation however let me tell you meditation has now been scientifically proven to be one of the best ways to improve our state of mind. If you tried the above techniques, you just experienced the difference. Didn’t you ?

So here is basic framework to make meditation a part of your daily routine;

Simple Framework For Meditation

Set Your Intention: “Why” do you want to meditate? I believe if your “why” is big enough then anything is possible. Is it health, peace of mind, inspiration ? Mine is peace of mind.
Set Your Environment: Find a quiet place, eliminate distractions and above all get rid of all gadgets. If needed you can even close the door and ask your family and pets to leave the room for the next 5 minutes.
Set Your Posture: You can sit on a chair or cross-legged on the ground using a pillow or cushion. Make sure your back is straight. Rest your hands comfortably on your knees or lap.
Close Your Eyes: As you close your eyes, direct your attention between your eyebrows or the third eye.
Focus On Your Breath: With your eyes closed, anchor your attention on your breath. Notice the body sensations every time you inhale and exhale. If your mind begins to wander bring the focus back to your breath.

I hope you have got this. The time is now. It’s time to commit for 5 minutes (at least) daily for a month. The longer you stick with it, the easier it will become and more benefits you will notice. Let’s get started.