12 Trial Lawyer • Spring 2022 10 minutes. That is what I am comfortable with and have time for. This varies from individual to individual. In short, if I can do it, so can you. The instructions to meditate are as follows: 1. Take a seat. Find a quiet and comfortable space to practice in. 2. Set a time limit. Silence your phone and set an alarm. Allow yourself to let go, until it goes off. 3. Notice your body. Mentally scan your body from head to toe, relax and get comfortable. 4. Focus on your breath. Begin to breathe in and out in counts of three and take it from there. 5. Notice your thoughts. This is the most challenging part. Your mind will inevitably wander. Acknowledge those thoughts, be graceful with yourself and work your way back to your breath. This is where you train your brain the most. These five steps are generally the setup. There are various ways to begin this practice that I found particularly helpful. I utilized the Calm meditation app, which includes actual guides or just music to get you through it. This app comes with free guided meditations as well as an extended version that requires an annual membership. If memberships aren’t your thing, there are many other resources, such as other free meditation apps, Spotify, YouTube and podcasts. Guided meditations are helpful for those who struggle to tune the thoughts out. When you have a guided mediation, it is easier to be present and focus on your breathing. No matter what your approach is, it is important to be intentional about the practice and commit to doing it. For me, what works is first thing in the morning before everyone wakes up or at the end of my workout, when I still have my garage to myself and can pop my headphones on. The point is, you can mediMeditation Continued from p 11 tate anywhere, so long as you can stay still and focused. Start small and do away with expectations. Meditation is not going to change your life overnight. Practice and patience are key. Begin your practice with three or so days a week and take it from there. You will begin to crave it, and it eventually becomes a part of your day and lifestyle. According to Headspace (another mediation application and blog), the following are the best tips to making meditation a daily habit: • Choose a realistic amount of time. • Do it in the morning. • Do it anywhere and everywhere. • Keep the streak going. • Scale back when you need to. • Accept that you won’t be perfect. • Make it about others. • Remember it is not magic. • Enjoy the journey. Incorporate it into to your calendar and set a reminder. Even if you don’t get around to meditating every day, it will be on your radar to get back to it. Another way to begin this practice and actually maintain it is to do it with a friend and hold each other accountable. Back to “why” The “why” is because the benefits are endless, and we can all use those benefits. The fact that pausing, focusing on your breath and gifting yourself five to 10 minutes a day brings such peace and solace is truly priceless. Our profession is to show up for others. True excellence at this practice lies in first showing up for ourselves. Shangar Meman specializes in plaintiff’s personal injury, medical malpractice, products liability and employment liability law. She contributes to the OTLA Guardians at the Sustaining Member level. Meman is an attorney at Pickett Dummigan McCall, 210 SWMorrison St., 4th Floor, Portland, OR 97204. She can be reached at 503575-9743 or shangar@pdm.legal.
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