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I did it! Meditating every day for one week

12.5.2023

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Will I be more balanced, calmer, maybe even happier when I meditate once a day? Or will I feel no different? Will I even manage to make the time for it? I tried it out, with lasting results.

I was really looking forward to this trial week in advance. Although I always want to do something beneficial for my health in these self-experiments, this time I don’t have to give up anything. I just want to make time for meditation once a day, to do something for my mental health. I allow myself a little rest and relaxation and hope to feel a positive effect overall.

I begin my trial week on Saturday already, as opposed to the usual Monday start. There’s a simple reason for this: I couldn’t wait. With major cleaning chores at home and a sick child, my general health was worn down enough to justify an earlier start to my week of relaxation.

Day 1: my first realisation – it’s easier without distractions

So I begin, although I don’t really have time for it. But well, if I don’t do it, I won’t ever achieve inner balance. The weather is kind to me at least, so I can start my meditation week outdoors. I lay a cushion on the grass in a cosy corner of our garden. My son bounces around me and is instructed extensively not to disturb me. Which is, of course, wishful thinking. Naive as I am, I still think he’ll last 20 minutes.

I chose a guided meditation on the topic of inner relaxation and serenity. I could desperately use it. I’m fine for a full seven minutes, until the first interruption from my impatient six-year-old: «No, I’m not done yet»; «Yes, you’ll have to wait a little longer»; «No, I don’t want to stop now»; «Yes, you’re welcome to join in if you’re quiet…» Okay, it was worth a try, but the next few days I’ll have to wait for a moment when I’m alone. Otherwise this’ll be more exhausting than not trying it at all. I do the rest of my meditation hidden behind a hedge and actually become slightly more relaxed.

Day 2: serenity now!

I’ve learned my lesson and wait until I’m alone for half an hour. My usual garden spot is unfortunately wet, it’s been raining all morning. But that shouldn’t be a hindrance, I’ll just make myself comfortable on the sofa. I usually meditate sitting down, but today I’m going to try lying on my back. However, I do run the risk of falling asleep. But I’m willing to take that risk, as I’ll be woken up again soon anyway.
Again, I put on a guided mindfulness meditation around 20 minutes in length. It’s significantly easier for me to let go and concentrate fully on meditation today. No wonder, after all, no one’s interrupting me now.

Turns out the day still has some excitement in store for me, big and small. A perfect chance to put the result of meditation to the test right away. I do notice a certain inner serenity making me much more relaxed about what’s to come. Fallen glasses of juice, degenerating discussions about my son’s longer TV times, and dissatisfied mewing house pets scratching the furniture. But I’m satisfied overall, even more so with my trial progress so far.

Day 3: meditating by the imaginary waterfall

I’m already looking forward to my next round of meditation in the morning. I’m slowly getting back into it and already have a resolution to keep doing it regularly after my week of trying.
About a year ago, I got into the habit of regular meditation, which I unfortunately let slide after a few months. After that, it was more of a sporadic occupation. When everything got to be too much and I noticed an underlying sense of stress taking hold, I practically pulled the meditation emergency brake. Now I realise that I don’t have to let it get that far, or rather I should. Staying with a habit is usually only difficult initially. Once that’s accomplished, it often becomes a no-brainer.

Today, in any case, I didn’t need much motivation or organising either way. I meditate cross-legged for about 25 minutes in the morning, today only with peaceful splashing of water in the background. I enjoy the peace and quiet as I mentally see myself at a waterfall somewhere in the countryside.

Hand postures during meditation are called mudras and are designed to help maintain concentration and create harmony between tension and relaxation. I used to think it was a little silly, but now I adopt the hand position automatically when I sit down to meditate.
Source: Anna Sandner

Day 4: don’t set your expectations too high

It’s already day four and I dare say I’m getting used to this new regular item in my agenda. I go for almost half an hour in the morning already and try a new guided meditation. Theme: making decisions easier. That can’t hurt, I do struggle with them quite a bit. It helps sort out my thoughts. However, guided meditation doesn’t have many helpful insights to behold. But who knows, maybe I’ll still be more decisive on my next opportunity (spoiler: the effect didn’t kick in, unfortunately). At least the half hour programme relaxed me greatly, and I benefit from the calm the rest of the day, a serene calm solidifying within me.

Day 5: even five minutes of relaxation help in the chaos

Today is a typical chaotic day. Time passes before I manage to schedule it. Consequently, it’s already evening before I even get to think about meditating. It’s going to be a quick one today. THE opportunity to test whether even a five-minute session has an effect. I find a quiet place where I’m undisturbed and even discover a guided meditation that doesn’t break my small window of opportunity. I quickly find peace and am pleased that apparently even this mini-meditation already has an effect. After that, I’m actually more relaxed.

This opens up a whole new set of possibilities. Until now I didn’t even think about meditating if I couldn’t carve out at least twenty minutes of time to do it. In future, I won’t have the «lack of time» excuse to fall back on. Better five minutes of downtime than none at all.

Day 6: mini meditation on a park bench

My new insight comes in handy again the very next day. As I’m on my way to run a few errands, I unceremoniously turn off and sit down on a park bench for a few minutes. Close your eyes, breathe in deeply and exhale. It’s certainly an unusual picture, sitting there cross-legged on a park bench. But I manage to completely block out my surroundings for those few minutes. And on I go. I snap up a little time twice more during the day and repeat my newly discovered mini-meditations. Great, this works better than expected.

Day 7: concluding a successful week – and beginning a new routine

The week flew by, and I’m already on my last trial day. Today will be tight again in terms of time, but since it’s my last day, I want to make the most of it. I use my lunch break and have three quarters of an hour reserved for extensive relaxation. It’s pouring outside, so I unroll my yoga mat and sit on the living room floor. By now I’ve become more practised at calming down within a short period of time. Deep breathing always helps the best. When my lunch break is over, I feel really refreshed and rested again. It was a fitting end to my week of trial and error. And yet I’m firmly determined to continue first thing tomorrow.

Conclusion: daily meditation is here to stay (mostly)!

Yes, my experience over the last week will always be very subjective, but I for one think it’s quite clear. This experiment was definitely worth it and absolutely paid off. Even though it wasn’t always easy to find the time and peace, a little discipline went a long way. And I’d argue I still made up the time I spent meditating each day. I wasted less time getting upset, stressed, brooding, angry, and restless. Over the course of the week, a certain basic calm set in for me. A priceless feeling, in my opinion. I’d even go so far as to say that meditating has also made me a bit happier. After all, when I’m relaxed and at peace with myself, the world is definitely a better place!

It’s now a few weeks later and I’m happy to say I was able to implement my resolution. Regular, short meditations (the occasional longer one mixed in) are again a fixed part of my everyday life. And even if I don’t do it every day, meditating has still paid off for me every time.

Photos: Anna Sandner

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Anna Sandner

Senior Editor

Anna.Sandner@galaxus.de

Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.

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