Meditation for ADHD Tradition
For the past month, I have been discussing ADHD in relation to Mindfulness. The goal has been to give individuals new tools that they can access at any point, in any situation, independently. Things that you do not need a professional, or a prescription for. Just grounding you into the basics of how mindfulness work can be advantageous to individuals with ADHD.
We have covered cross-hemispheric integration (you can read that blog post here), and breathwork (which you can read about here). For our last topic in this series, we will be speaking on the benefits of meditation for individuals with ADHD
All of my group classes include meditation in some way. This is because it enables you to observe your thoughts, calm the mind, and be embodied in the present moment. These are practices that will enhance your time on the mat. While meditation is generally a good practice for everybody, here are some reasons why it can be especially powerful for individuals with ADHD:
Meditation can strengthen your ability to hold your attention. One of the most common symptoms of ADHD is lack of focus. And like any other muscle in the body, the brain can be exercised to grow stronger. And meditation is the perfect way to do that.
Meditation teaches you to come back to the moment. It gives you practice for staying in the present, and trains the wandering mind to come back into focus when needed. Meditation is not about never breaking your thought pattern, it is about coming back to it time and time again to refocus.
Meditation thickens your prefrontal cortex. Which is the part of the brain that helps with focus, planning, and impulse control.
Meditation raises your dopamine levels. Studies have shown that individuals with ADHD have lower dopamine levels.
Meditation helps improve self-esteem. Individuals with ADHD are often hard on themselves due to difficulty in focusing, memory recall, and finishing of tasks. Meditation invites an individual to be softer with the self, and more compassionate, improving overall wellbeing.
Meditation lowers stress levels. Those with ADHD are prone to higher anxiety, which is just no bueno (this is definitely me). Mediation can help alleviate stress levels and restore a sense of peace and calm in an individual.
It seems clear to me that it would be advantageous for individuals with ADHD to start a meditative practice. So that is my goal here. To get you set up with the foundation needed to start your own practice. I will outline one exercise below, which I will also be doing an IG live about. If you are wanting to really deep dive into this topic, we can work together and create specific meditation specific to you and your needs. Reach out today and we will find your Mindful Tradition.
Meditation for Control of Thought
Begin by sitting up nice and straight with your body relaxed (if an individual has a hard time keeping a straight spine, it can be helpful to sit in a straight back chair, or against the wall)
Take three deep and mindful breaths in and out of the nose, elongating the exhale to make it twice as long as the inhale.
Imagine an ordinary object from around the house (pen, cup, paper clip etc.) and begin to imagine it in your mind's eye.
Describe every aspect of it to yourself. Leaving no detail unexplored.
Begin to ask yourself "What can I do with it?", "What is it made of?", "Why this shape?", "What other shapes could it have?", "Where was it made?", "How did I get it?"," How are the raw materials mined?", etc.
Spend 5 minutes here in the meditation
When you are done take one last inhale here and exhale out of the mouth in a sigh. Clearing the energy and leaving knowing that you are more focused and prepared for your day.
Do the exercise for 5 days in a row. Then you can start the process all over with a new object if you would like.
