Look, I love meditation, I do it almost every morning – BUT! I get that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
For some, sitting still can be a painful task, whilst for others, it just doesn’t float their boat.
And that’s okay, being mindful or spiritual isn’t all about sitting around on pillows, chanting and “getting centred”. There are other spiritual & mindful practices you can do to align with your higher self and feel mentally & spiritually connected, here are 10 to choose from…
Grounding
Grounding, also known as Earthing, is another way to relieve stress, much like meditating. Only with grounding, you don’t need to keep ya bum still and focus 100% inwards.
Grounding involves spending time with nature and – when possible – allowing a little skin-on-nature action to take place, such as walking barefoot on grass or tree-hugging!
I had an almost euphoric grounding experience and this is now one of my favorite ways to connect with my higher self and rebalance. Similar to meditating, scientific research has proven that grounding can soothe, calm and relax us and even help reduce anxiety & stress.
RELATED: The Scientific Benefits of Grounding & Earthing
Walking
If you’re a little restricted on the Nature front (I feel you, I did many years in London living the sans garden lifestyle, far from any kind of woods or forest) then simply just getting out for a 20 minute stroll can also help to calm your mind.
To help you be mindful or feel a spiritual connection, start by focusing on your breath as you develop a steady pace. Once you’ve done this, then make an effort to focus on your body as you walk; process how it feels in the moment to take these steps. How do your feet feel? Your legs? Is there a breeze on the skin of your hands? How does that feel?
As you do this, allow your other thoughts to float on by and simply just be in the moment on this pleasant stroll.
Cleaning
No seriously, it’s true.
Ever done a big clearout, or hoovered an entire house and found yourself feeling revitalised afterwards? When you fully immerse yourself in the task and are very present in the moment whilst cleaning, it allows your mind to completely calm and has even been proven to improve a persons mood and bring a sense of satisfaction according to this article by Yahoo.
So if meditation isn’t your thing but cleaning is, it’s time to whip out your sponges and let the waves of calm – and the soapy suds – wash over you!
Journaling
There are many reasons I enjoy meditation, but one reason is I need to declutter my brain, to assess my thoughts and sometimes just have a mindless rant where I’m not even sure what I’m thinking.
This can also be done through journaling. By putting pen to paper and just brain dumping every thought into your journal can be extremely therapeutic.
Alternatively, to keep your mind in check, start a morning time or evening time journal routine and try journaling on similar questions each day, such as:
- What am I grateful for today?
- What can I achieve today?
- How do I feel this morning?
Healing with Crystals
Crystal healing has become a form of alternative therapy that, I, for one, am 100% here for!
Individual crystals each have their own energies that align to your thoughts and feelings, such as self-love, abundance etc. They have different shapes and colours and sizes.
I’m still fairly new to crystals and I’m learning of their healing powers, but I adore the ones I have and I’ve found them to certainly enhance my energy.
So if meditation isn’t your thing, perhaps creating your own crystal ritual will bring you the tranquility you desire. I picked up this book to help create my own rituals and routines.
Listen to Chanting
This might not be for everyone, but listening to spiritual chanting or mindful music can be extremely therapeutic, and it doesn’t have to be listened to during meditation. It could be something to listen to whilst you work away at your laptop, cleaning the house or simply just chillin’
Here is a Spotify Playlist I recommend:
ASMR
This practice literally takes me to the gods!
ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a relaxing, often sedative sensation that begins on the scalp and moves down the body. Known by many as a “brain massage,” it’s triggered by particular sounds, such as whispers or tapping, and sights, such as folding laundry or ironing, that give us humans a tingling sensation.
It sounds insane, right? But as someone who has been an ASMR listener since way back in 2014, I can tell you, these “brain massages” most certainly help to reduce stress, anxiety and bring a beautiful sense of calm into the human body.
Today there are more than 13 million ASMR videos on YouTube. From short clips of people eating snacks into a microphone, to lengthy videos of people having their hair played, this ‘trend’ has become extremely popular and I completely understand why.
Check out my post: ASMR Explained, to learn more about it and see how you can use ASMR as an alternative to meditation.
Solo Dance Parties
Let’s talk about solo dance parties. Because seriously, dancing alone in my undies also TAKES ME TO THE GODS!
This is something I used to do most mornings when I lived alone, and I encourage all to try.
It may seem odd that this is an alternative to meditation; a practice that involves being extremely silent and still. But meditation is actually about being present in your body and there is no way you can’t be present in your body when you’re shaking that booty of yours.
Having your own solo dance party (or duo or group if you don’t live alone) is not only a beautiful way to appreciate your body, but also appreciate your home, your space, music and creators. This can be your own meditation through movement & music
Colouring
It’s not just the kids who are getting arty with their crayons. Adults too!
Colouring books for adults sell very well online (this naughty one being potentially my favourite!) and I’m not surprised; I find colouring-in so very therapeutic and a great way to really re-connect with myself.
If I need some time to deconstruct my thoughts and meditation just isn’t doing it for me, I will quite often pull out my colouring book and my felt tip pens and spend an hour or two shading in empty spaces to create a masterpiece.
I always feel revitalised afterwards and I find this practice a good pre-bedtime exercise to do, as I always sleep well afterwards.
Yoga
Whilst yoga may feel to some like a trendy workout that they’re happy to pass up, this muscle stretching practice is actually deeply rooted in spirituality.
It’s not just about physically stretching muscles or improving flexibility (in fact a massive misconception is that you need to be flexible to start practicing yoga), yoga is for the mind, body and soul.
It’s not only renowned for helping yogis to strengthen their mental and emotional wellbeing, but I too can certainly vouch for the calming effects this has on me when I do yoga.
My friend, Taryn from theremoteyogi offers an amazing monthly yoga & wellbeing membership and some fantastic one-off bundles, that I can’t recommend enough. these are great for all levels, from beginner to expert, check it out.
What do you think? Will you be trying any of the above practices? as an alternative to meditation?
Can you think of any I’ve missed or any you prefer to do? Let me know in the comments below or @the.butterfly.coach
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