For those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), staying focused and practicing self-control are daily challenges. So emptying one’s mind and sitting for long periods of time in focused meditation likely seems impossible for ADHDers. But, recent research suggests that mindfulness meditation may be the perfect natural remedy for ADHD.
How does meditation help ADHD?
The aim of meditation is to train one’s mind to stop paying attention to distracting thoughts and focus on non-judgmental acceptance of the present moment. Meditation is like rehab for an ADHD brain. The practice strengthens the parts of the brain in charge of attention, organization, impulse control, and emotional regulation. Studies have even linked the practice to an increase in dopamine (which those with ADHD lack) and a decrease in anxiety and depression. Basically, meditation improves nearly every aspect of ADHD.
Where does meditation come from?
A recent article on PositivePsychology.com gives an in-depth view of the history of meditation. Here’s a summary:
- Some researchers speculate that meditation is as old as humanity itself.
- 5000 to 3500 BCE — the oldest evidence of wall art drawings in India. The ancient drawings depict people sitting in a meditative posture with their eyes half-closed.
- 1500 BCE — the oldest written documentation of meditation. The records describe one of the earliest known Indian paths to spiritual enlightenment, a philosophy known as Vendatism.
Vedanta means the culmination of Vedic wisdom or the final step on our spiritual journey. We don’t know how old the Vedas are or who wrote them. It’s said that God revealed the true knowledge of the entire creation to enlightened saints while they were deep in meditation. The Vedas are therefore said to be Shruti, Divine Knowledge, or knowledge that is heard from a divine source rather than learned from a book. These saints then brought these eternal truths out to the world in the form of Sanskrit hymns and chants, which continue to be passed down and recited even now.
https://chopra.com/articles/what-is-vedanta
- 1700’s — meditation was first introduced to the West when Eastern philosophy texts were translated into European languages.
- 1893 — It wasn’t until the late 1800s that meditation became more widely known in America. Swami Vivekananda, a prominent yogi and Indian monk, spoke at the first World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago.
I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.
-Swami Vivekananda
Today meditation is known and practiced throughout the world. With multiple medical studies validating the mental and physical benefits of meditation, the practice continues to grow. Now, millions of Americans are seeking relief through meditation, making it the fastest-growing health trend in America.
Is meditation religious?
Religions worldwide practice meditation including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Some scholars believe that Jesus’s 40 days and 40 nights in the desert were actually spent in meditation rather than in prayer alone. While prayer is “talking to God”, meditation is “listening to God.”
When we’re constantly asking God for guidance in prayer, doesn’t it make sense to become still and silent in meditation and listen to what Divinity has to say?
As it’s practiced today, meditation isn’t necessarily religious. Agnostics and atheists also meditate for the health benefits of lower blood pressure, and management of chronic pain, stress, and mood disorders.
Obstacles to meditation
When I began my spiritual journey a few years ago, nearly every book I came across listed meditation as a core practice for awareness and spiritual awakening. But meditation was new to me and really really . . . hard.
I haven’t been diagnosed with ADHD, but many of the problems I experienced while meditating were similar to the symptoms of ADHD:
- Thoughts pinballed through my mind.
- I couldn’t sit still.
- I was impatient and thought it was a waste of my very limited time.
- I couldn’t establish and stick to a daily routine.
- I became irritated that I couldn’t control my thoughts and would quit (frustrated) after a few minutes.
I was ready to give up meditation when I came across the book Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, by Dan Harris.
Dan Harris, the Good Morning America co-anchor, had a panic attack on live television in 2004. Dan says the embarrassing and public “freak out” as he calls it, was a big wake-up call. He set out on a mission to “fix” his self-medicating drug use, anxiety, and underlying depression.
I listened to Dan’s book because the title nailed me — I was a fidgety and skeptical meditator. And worse, I felt defeated by meditation. But Dan takes the angst and hippie mysticism out of meditation and makes it doable for everyone. The book is laugh-out-loud funny, entertaining, real, and chocked full of different approaches to establishing a meditation routine. It’s also co-authored by Jeff Warren, a “meditation MacGyver” who also has ADHD.
Here’s what I learned:
STOP JUDGING AND SURRENDER TO YOUR THOUGHTS
If there’s one thing to learn about meditation, this is it: STOP JUDGING AND SURRENDER. I judged myself because I couldn’t stop my thoughts. Every time my mind would ping from one thought to the next, I would chastise myself. So, I would try to not think. Of course, that didn’t work. It’s like trying to stop blinking or . . . breathing.
Every time you become aware of a thought, you’ve won. It doesn’t matter if you catch a hundred thoughts in a five-minute meditation, you’ve still won. You’ve separated from your thinking mind for a moment and another dimension has come in. The only thing that matters is acceptance.
START SMALL
Whether you’re a fidgety skeptic like me or have ADHD, the key to establishing a routine you’ll actually stick to is to start small.
- Toothbrushing Mini-Med: Twice a day, while brushing your teeth, close your eyes or focus on a fixed point. Become aware of the sensations of brushing your teeth. Notice the taste, sound, and feel of the toothbrush gliding over your teeth and gums. When thoughts come, notice them without judgment and return to focusing on the sensations.
- Walking with Breath Awareness: This can be done while walking to your car, class, mailbox, or anywhere!
- Notice how your feet feel when striking the ground.
- Breathe in for five steps.
- Hold your breath for five steps.
- Exhale for five steps.
- Repeat
- Sound Awareness: When walking anywhere (inside or out) notice the sounds around you. Deliberately shift from the inner world of thoughts to the outer world of sounds.
- With awareness of your surroundings (so you don’t get run over by a bus) notice what you hear.
- Without thinking about what’s making the noise, just notice the different sounds. Birds chirping, the wind blowing through the trees, the buzz of traffic, the rise and fall of voices, etc.
Dan and Jeff give many more examples in the book of meditations for people who think they can’t meditate. They also detail how invaluable meditation has been in changing their own lives.
Remember — meditation is rehab for your mind. Just like physical therapy strengthens weak muscles with each session, meditation does the same for your brain.
Let’s talk! How do you meditate? What are your biggest challenges? Interact with me on Instagram, FB, or Twitter @jackiejreid or email me at info@jackiejreid.com.
