The Way of Meditation Blog
Bringing Ancient Wisdom Into The Modern World
The Zen Of Meditating In The Shower
Chad Foreman • May 17, 2019
Shower Meditation
Once I heard a meditation teacher describe mindfulness as “coming to your senses” – by bringing your full and non-judgemental attention to what your body’s feeling, what you are seeing, hearing, tasting and smelling. In other words noticing everything the present moment offers to our senses. By getting out of your head and coming to your senses you leave behind the stories our thoughts are telling us about what’s going on and we arrive at a more raw and direct experience of what’s happening in the now.
Focussing on the now is not only therapeutic affording us reprieve from anxious or stressful thinking, it also brings us closer to the reality of any moment. You can give yourself a real holiday from the thinking mind and attend to the Zen like simplicity of noticing the singing birds, the scent of burning incense or even the shower water running over your body.
Focussing on the now is not only therapeutic affording us reprieve from anxious or stressful thinking, it also brings us closer to the reality of any moment. You can give yourself a real holiday from the thinking mind and attend to the Zen like simplicity of noticing the singing birds, the scent of burning incense or even the shower water running over your body.
Shower time can be the prefect opportunity every day to come to our senses by perhaps feeling the temperature of the water or intimately experiencing the soap against our skin. Focussing on the sensual experience of a shower with your full and undivided attention is a gateway to clear and open awareness which brings peace and freedom to the moment, I call it Shower Zen.
Smelling the aromas of the soap, listening to the running water or the feeling of rubbing shampoo into your scalp are all delightful experiences to focus on and bring the practice of mindfulness into the shower, by disengaging from memories of the past, letting go of plans for the future and bringing a deliberate and focused attention to the now.
Meditation does not always mean sitting still on the floor especially when it comes to mindfulness or concentration practices. Classically Buddha taught four times to practice mindfulness – when sitting, standing, walking and lying down which I think pretty much means all the time, so it seems reasonable to include when showering.
In fact shower time is a perfect time to create a mindfulness ritual and to include an active meditation session into your daily routine.
Smelling the aromas of the soap, listening to the running water or the feeling of rubbing shampoo into your scalp are all delightful experiences to focus on and bring the practice of mindfulness into the shower, by disengaging from memories of the past, letting go of plans for the future and bringing a deliberate and focused attention to the now.
Meditation does not always mean sitting still on the floor especially when it comes to mindfulness or concentration practices. Classically Buddha taught four times to practice mindfulness – when sitting, standing, walking and lying down which I think pretty much means all the time, so it seems reasonable to include when showering.
In fact shower time is a perfect time to create a mindfulness ritual and to include an active meditation session into your daily routine.
Shower Zen is a great way to get in touch with our bodies, literally, and without judgement learning to be comfortable in our own skin, embody the present moment and enjoy the simple pleasure that showering can be.
A shower is also a great metaphor for washing away the past and cleansing the mind, revealing the natural purity of bare and open awareness which is always there but sometimes covered with a bit of dirt we pick up along the way.
A shower can deeply cleanse the aura maybe it’s the negative ions produced by running water which are reported to have important health benefits or maybe it’s just the deep cleansing of running water through the etheric field; either way a shower can feel great and is a fantastic time to bring your complete consciousness to the present moment and receive all the benefits a mindful shower can bring.
It’s very easy to think of a million things while you’re showering, taking those few minutes to plan your day or go over the past events but the zen of showering is to not bring anything else into the shower with you, instead when you shower, just shower. Practising to be fully engaged in the present sensual experience of exactly what you’re doing and nothing else.
A shower is also a great metaphor for washing away the past and cleansing the mind, revealing the natural purity of bare and open awareness which is always there but sometimes covered with a bit of dirt we pick up along the way.
A shower can deeply cleanse the aura maybe it’s the negative ions produced by running water which are reported to have important health benefits or maybe it’s just the deep cleansing of running water through the etheric field; either way a shower can feel great and is a fantastic time to bring your complete consciousness to the present moment and receive all the benefits a mindful shower can bring.
It’s very easy to think of a million things while you’re showering, taking those few minutes to plan your day or go over the past events but the zen of showering is to not bring anything else into the shower with you, instead when you shower, just shower. Practising to be fully engaged in the present sensual experience of exactly what you’re doing and nothing else.
Written By Chad Foreman
Chad Foreman is the founder of The Way of Meditation, has been teaching meditation since 2003, determined to bring authentic meditation practices into the lives of millions of people in the modern world. Chad is a former Buddhist monk who spent 6 years living in a retreat hut studying and practicing meditation full time and has now has over twenty years’ experience teaching meditation. Chad holds regular Meditation Retreats on the Sunshine Coast Australia, has Online Meditation Coaching, delivers three online programs - The 21 Day Meditation Challenge to help guide people gradually from the basics of mindfulness and relaxation to profound states of awareness. Breath-work to help manage stress and go deeper into meditation and The Bliss of Inner Fire which is a Buddhist tantric method for purifying energy blocks and contacting the clear light of bliss. You can also now get Chad's free e-book Insights Along the Way.
Get A FREE
Guided Meditation Series
with Chad Foreman
In today’s fast-paced world, the mind often races, driven by the demands of work, family, and personal ambitions. Meditation is commonly seen as a practice to calm the mind, foster inner peace, and connect with deeper aspects of existence. Yet, one crucial element often overlooked is the state of the body, particularly the nervous system. Relaxing the nervous system isn’t just a preparatory step; it is foundational for unlocking the deeper states of awareness and tranquility that meditation promises. Drawing insights from my journey and teachings, we will explore why this is so vital and how it transforms the meditative experience.
Drawing its inspiration from sky-gazing meditation, sky wisdom is the wisdom of emptiness – of an open mind connected with vast space and infinite possibilities. It is seeing that the true nature of reality is beyond words and concepts
Equanimity is such a central theme to Buddhist meditation practice because it exemplifies the philosophy of the middle way taught by the historical Buddha which is the path to enlightenment.
and is also a practical expression of non-duality.
How to get the balance right between making effort in meditation and being effortless and what exactly are they.
A framework for understanding how breath-work can purify different layers of your being bringing you into complete alignment and full awakening
A fascinating look at what the scientific research has to say about meditation and the effects it has on the brain and the human condition.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Take The 21 Day Meditation Challenge
Get A FREE Series
of Guided Meditations
with Chad Foreman
Email: chad@thewayofmeditation.com.au
The Way Of Meditation
Site Map