Meditation is a foundational skill in developing a magical spiritual practice. Meditation helps you to clarify your intention which lends power to your spellwork. It can lead to trance states and heightened spiritual experiences. It can help you connect with spirits and your guides. And finally, it can help you find clarity about yourself, who you are and what you’re meant to do.
But meditation is also hard as fuck. It’s hard as fuck for neurotypical folks. But for neurodivergent folks? Damn near impossible, if you’re following the advice and practices of neurotypical folks.
What’s a neurodivergent witch to do? What’s a busy, overwhelmed witch to do? It takes years to build a resilient mediation practice, maybe even longer if you’re going through all the trial and error of figuring out what actually will work for your brain.
Been there, done that. Now I have a thriving meditation practice as a neurodivergent witch. So here are my top 3 tips for building a spiritual or magical meditation practice as a neurodivergent person:
1. Start small.
Can’t sit for a 20-minute meditation? Can you sit for a 5-, 3-, 1-minute meditation? Can you just take a break for a sec and close your eyes and take the 3 biggest, most mindful breaths you can?
Don’t start with the end goal. Start where you are. What are you can you do right now? Even if it’s small. The path to a consistent, confident meditation practice that works FOR YOU is made up of baby steps. Let yourself start where you are and take then next tiniest step, over and over.
If that still feels intimidating you might wanna start with an app. Apps like Insight Timer and Oak (my current fave) have been essential allies in helping me build my practice. A few minutes of breathing with Oak each morning can quickly become five or ten minutes.
2. Pair your meditation with action.
Physical cues or physical engagement can help calm your mind and let you transition into a meditative state. Letting yourself be physically engaged to calm your mind, especially if you set an intention to be present. Practice focusing and being present with your physicality. How does it feel to move, to use your hands, to move your body?
A great physical cue that it’s time for meditation is making a certain kind of tea. And this is a cue that builds with time. That physical act will start ushering you into meditation and perhaps it will become a meditation on its own for you.
If you’re like me and have a lot of physical energy, go for a walk. Leave your phone at home. (if you can; at the very least put it on Do Not Disturb!) As you walk, notice your breath, your movement. Notice the plants, the air, the sun. Notice what comes up in your mind as you walk.
Other ideas for physical cues: Put on a certain kind of music that helps you feel a bit calmer. Speak out loud. Light a candle.
3. Let it be weird.
It’s ok if it’s silly. Let it be silly. Let it be playful. Let it BE neurodivergent. Let it be weird. Let it be you! You’re meditation practice is not gonna look like your average meditation practice and that’s wonderful!