It’s hard to meditate when your brain works like this. ADHD brains feel super busy, and the Buddhist term ‘monkey mind’ feels very relevant. There are two books that really helped me understand what meditation and mindfulness are all about.
In ‘The Power of Now’, Eckhart Tolle describes the moments of clarity that led to his understanding about who he is and how he exists in the world. He talks about the realisation that his mind or self, is separate from his being. He helped me to practise this separation and awareness of my own mind, and how to put this ‘self’ to one side. He teaches that only one thing really exists and that is being in the present moment. By letting go of the past and future, we can gain contentment.
Steve Hagen in ‘Buddhism Plain and Simple,’ gives practical advice and guidance about how to achieve a state of non-thought while meditating. The aim is to dissolve into the world around us and become part of everything. This kind of practice is challenging, but when moments of clarity and connection come they are wonderful and really memorable.
There are lots of forms of meditation – walking, working, sitting, doing yoga, practising martial arts, creating art, gardening, singing, dancing – the list goes on. How do you find your moments of peace and respite from your busy brain?
