Stay zen to fall asleep

At the heart of Zen, there is the idea of taking advantage of the now.

If you think about it, everything that bugged you yesterday is already finished, and everything that will bug you tomorrow hasn’t yet happened. So why freak out ?

It’s a bit metaphysical to wrap your head around, but letting Zen enter your life means building your own happiness. From a practical perspective, it’s allowing yourself to learn on your own how to fall asleep fast. We’re going to show you how to start, slowly, just like everything else you should be doing in life.

Self-made happiness

“We are what we think. Everything we are results from our thoughts. With our thoughts, we build our world.” said Buddha. And he was absolutely right.

Your mood is kind of like a muscle: the more you train yourself to stay positive, the easier it will be, and the better you will manage. The media tries to make you believe that happiness shows up on your doorstep with a pretty packaging and a nice big bow: love, riches, fame… but the first thing to understand about life (the sooner the better!) is that being happy is TAUGHT.

Staying focused on the present

What’s done is done, and lamenting on your (tragic) past will at best teach you lessons from your mistakes (which you should be doing up to a point, it’s true), and at worst ruin your mood. How can you stay in the moment ?

Appreciate what you have today

Be thankful for things that you have (and don’t say you have nothing. You at least have a working internet connection).

Say no to excessive materialism

You probably don’t have the latest Iphone, but you have friends who answer the phone when you call them, and that’s not so bad. If they don’t answer however, well, it might just be time to learn how to change your social circle and stay positive.

Have confidence in yourself

Conjure your internal L’Oréal to motivate you everyday, because you’re worth it.

Slow down your movements

A technique to slow your thoughts is to slow… your body!

Take time to take your time. Take time to have a real breakfast, a real lunch break, and force yourself to take little breaks during the day. You should never feel guilty ! Breaks allow you to stay concentrated on your tasks and improve your productivity.

If you feel particularly anxious or fearful during the day, take a moment to concentrate on your task in slow motion. What’s important is to slow your heart rate with your breathing, and the effort you put into it.

This technique is relatively well known thanks to taichi, the martial art practiced by old Chinese grandmothers and young hipsters who just finished reading Eat Pray Love. It will make you aware of your body and your movements, calm you and empty you of negative thoughts.

Introduction to meditation

“What’s important is to try your best” says the Dalai Lama. To think about nothing can be hard to accomplish, and that’s perfectly normal. No need to be religious or adhere to a particular philosophy to meditate – wanting to feel good in your own skin is more than enough.

• Samatha meditation
  

Samatha meditation is the tranquility of the mind. It is a concentration technique that trains the mind to stay calm regardless of intrusive thoughts. 

Sit with your legs crossed, in the lotus position, with your back and your neck nice and straight.

Relax your face and your shoulders, pull in your chin very slightly, close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.

Pay attention to the little triangle that you have between your upper lip and your nostrils with each breath.

If your mind gets distracted, don’t worry! Simply notice that you thought of something, and guide your mind back towards its original concentration

• Mentally take advantage of the present
  

If you have a hard time staying confined to the present, try this tip taken from "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle, an American best seller since 1997 that teaches meditation exercises.

If you can’t stop yourself from thinking about something else, observe yourself thinking about something else. Get it?

If you think about something else, it’s because it’s either better or worse than the now (or else you wouldn’t be thinking about it, you would be too absorbed in the now!). As soon as you notice that you are thinking of something else, you’ve manage to break the cycle! You are once again conscious of the present.

You can also observe your reactions and your emotions. You become the silent witness of your thoughts, it is the key to control your happiness.

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