Still just trying to be present. Just meditated and my son came into the room. I do not interact with him, just stay with it or go back to what I was focusing on before.
I usually go outside or to a different room. It also helps to use headphones. But, if you can’t eliminate the noise it will help you become a stronger meditate-er!
When I’m commuting to work, I try to close my eyes and practice mindfulness. I start by noticing the sounds I hear around me without giving them any specific tag, then notice the smells and then what I feel.
I decided to weight what has more value, What others think of me or my Inner well-being. If people are making noises, i just ignore them and continue with my routine. At the end, what I do will determine my results later on.
Let them know what you’ll be doing and ask them not to disturb you for a few minutes (however long you plan to meditate) and then get some headphones. Once you’ve done that just plug them in and get started in a place where you feel most at ease. Afterwards, if you feel inclined to let the others know, just smile and say, "I’m finished." Just remember it’s perfectly normal, many people meditate and there’s nothing to be self conscious about. If they make jokes then just laugh along like it’s no big deal because it’s not a big deal.
If possible I wait until they have gone to bed or asleep... or take myself to another room and place a polite “Do not disturb” sign on the door... You could invite said person or people to meditate with you as an alternative option...
I use headphones and still sit in my usually quiet corner. It’s not as peaceful as being alone but you can get in your own space with your eyes closed.
I take that as a challenge and keep meditating. It‘s definitely a lot harder, but once you get used to people around you while meditating, meditating in a calm environment becomes a premium experience! And most of all: you shouldn‘t care about what they might think you‘re doing, so don‘t let that disturb you.
As someone who practices mindfulness daily, this is really hard for me, in the traditional sense. It’s hard to close your eyes and be at peace with the moment when there’s people talking or doing things around where you are. In these moments I’ll do one of two things. The first thing is you could simply practice being mindful of everything that is happening around you. Close your eyes and try to listen and tune in to the sounds and activities around you. The moment is whatever the moment is. Mindfulness helps us accept that moment and be at one with it, no matter what it actually looks like. There is no wrong moment if that makes sense. The second thing is you could try to do a moving meditation. Find your flow in a walk (maybe even a run) and take notice of your environment by acknowledging each thing you see for what it is. If you’re in a house or a park per say, telling yourself "that’s a green tree" or "that’s a white wall". This will help you settle into your environment and hopefully allow you to be mindful of whatever moment you’re in.
It depends on if they are meditating as well or not. In the first case, I feel motivated, in the second case instead I feel observed (even if they are busy doing their own things) and therefore I feel distracted and unable to successfully meditate. This happens even if there is people not directly around me, but in another room, in that case I don’t feel observed, but I tend to lose focus, concentrating on noises, bits of conversation and other things happening in the other room.
Answers reflect the personal experiences of Fabulous community members. They are not medical or professional advice — for guidance about your health, talk to a qualified professional.
