Do you own a meditation cushion and/or bench?
How often do you meditate?
62% of survey participants meditate at least once per day, 12% meditate every other day, and 12% once or twice a week. The remaining 14% do so occasionally or have never meditated.
Do you meditate regularly?
Do you encourage others to meditate?
85% of participants recommend that others try meditation. Maybe the other 15% see it as something that’s better to discover for yourself.
Have you ever received instruction in a mindfulness technique?
What’s your favorite place to meditate?
“When weather permits, I love to meditate in the garden; otherwise, my bedroom, where I have a dedicated yoga and meditation space.”“In church.”“At a mosque.”“At a meditation center.”“In a temple.”“In a rocking chair in my bedroom.”“On the beach.”“In a hot bubble bath, with candlelight and incense burning.”“I am in my car 90% of the time, so mostly in the car.”“In bed, before getting up for the day.”“During yoga class.”“Outside of school, waiting for my children to finish for the day.”“In the forest preserve by my home. If I am feeling anxious, I like to meditate under the tree. If I am feeling sad, I like to meditate in a wide-open field—it makes me feel so alive!”“My La-Z-Boy recliner in the living room.”
Do you use a meditation app?
Aside from sitting meditation, where and when do you most apply mindfulness in your daily life?
“During my work day as a therapist.”“To deal with pain.”“Taking mindful pauses, especially when I’m outdoors. I stop what I’m doing, notice what’s around me, try to tune in to something like a bird call or the wind, and just appreciate that for a moment or two.”“Being more present with my children and husband. Mindfulness has also helped me decompress in Chicago traffic and in the grocery store!”“When dealing with challenging people.”“In my relationship with my son, who is severely impacted by autism, and with my 5th-grade students— it helps me learn who they really are.”“Before bed to help me sleep.”“In the evening, focusing on incidents or experiences to feel grateful for each day.”“Dealing with depression and anxiety.”“When I’m traveling, so I don’t miss the unique details around me!”
Do you have a personal meditation instructor?
This article appeared in the April 2018 issue of Mindful magazine.
