The Simple Tool You Shouldn't Live Without...A Homebase

I heard a quote the other day about meditation.  It went something like this. ‘Mastering meditation doesn’t mean you are always present.  It means that you can pull yourself back into the present moment more easily.’

Meditation is a practice. You practice coming back into the present and staying there.  Why?  Because when life throws stressors at you and you feel anxiety ramping up or you have a tough time focusing, this practice will keep you grounded and calm.   

Some of the best meditation sessions I’ve had weren’t great because they were easy.  They were great because even though the space around me was alive with the cat sitting on me purring and making biscuits,my son playing with my feet, or just noisy and chaotic, I was able to consistently pull myself back to being present.  How did I do it?  I went to my homebase.

A homebase is what you focus your attention on while meditating.  It can be almost anything.  It can be something you hold such as a stone or a cup of coffee. It can be a sound like a cat purring, ohming, or the sounds of nature.  It can be focusing on certain aspects of your breath and breathing.  I personally focus on where the air touches my upper lip, just under my nose.  I have no idea how I landed on that, but it works.  Through trial and error you can find yours too.

For me, my homebase is what keeps me grounded.  It pulls me back when my mind wanders to the chore list.  It keeps me from going down my proverbial rabbit hole when big stressors rear up.  It calms my monkey-mind in the middle of the night and enables me to get back to sleep.  

To find your personal homebase, I recommend trying out a few things and seeing what works.  Here are a couple tips:

1. Try meditating with your eyes open or closed

2. If your eyes are open, pick a visual homebase.  If they are closed, choose a sound or sensation to focus on.  Some suggestions are the humm of traffic, nature soundscapes, holding a cup of coffee, feeling your palms in your lap or where other parts of your body touch the chair or floor, pay attention to aspects of your breath.  The possibilities are endless.

3. Try different positions. Sitting upright, reclined, or laying down.  

These are just a few ideas to get you started on your exploration.  This is about you and what you are comfortable with and there is no wrong answer.