Many people find guided meditations easier than meditating alone. This makes sense because having an external guide helps bring skills we might not yet possess and can interrupt our distracted thoughts. These interruptions help remind us what we should be focusing on during meditation. Often, our distractions come from our own inner chatter.
There’s a significant difference between our distracting internal voices and the guiding voice of a teacher. But what if we could train our inner voice to be more helpful and keep us on track?
To explain this, let’s look at the Japanese practice of shisa kanko, which means “pointing and calling.” This technique isn’t a meditation method but was developed in noisy, distracting environments to minimize errors. It helps people focus and be more mindful, especially during repetitive tasks. Japanese railway workers have used this for over a century. For example, a train conductor will talk through each step of the process, pointing at items and naming them out loud, effectively creating a mental checklist as a mindfulness tool.
This approach is remarkably effective. A 1994 study found that “pointing and calling” reduced mistakes by almost 85% for simple tasks, bringing error rates down to 0.38 errors per 100 tasks.
Meditation is also a repetitive task, but it’s internal and lacks the immediate feedback of tasks like operating a train. If a train conductor forgot to unlock the doors, passengers would quickly alert them. In meditation, if your mind wanders to work, it could be a long time before you remember your intended focus. We don’t usually label distractions in meditation as “errors,” but they are quite frequent—somewhere between 40% and 80% for the average person who has meditated for a few years. Imagine reducing distractions to 0.38 per 100 breaths!
I’ve led many guided meditations, and I’ve noticed my meditation practice is more effective when I lead a session. This isn’t surprising; it’s like doing shisa kanko without the pointing. When I guide others, I guide myself as well.
When I meditate alone, I sometimes offer myself words of guidance, like “Poise… dignity… softening.” Each word triggers a cascade of physical and emotional changes. For instance, “softening” helps release unnecessary tension. During meditation, I frequently use a mantra: “Soft eyes… open field of inner attention.” These words help me relax and become more aware, reducing inner chatter and promoting a holistic body awareness.
This technique isn’t limited to meditation. It’s also useful in everyday life. For example, I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a racing mind. Repeating “Soft eyes, senses wide open” often helps me relax and fall back asleep quickly.
I recommend trying this out during your meditation practice. Use phrases that resonate with you. It might take some experimentation to find words that work best, but it can be very effective.
I also sometimes wake up at night unable to fall back asleep, and meditation helps to varying degrees. The effectiveness seems to depend on the intensity of underlying emotional disturbances. On challenging nights, practicing mindfulness and self-compassion can sometimes lead to a more restful state, even if deeper sleep remains elusive.
When faced with emotional upset, like a distressing online conversation, experiencing calmer feelings and joy through mindfulness practice can significantly improve the situation. Sometimes complete relief isn’t possible due to external disturbances like alarms, but incremental improvements still offer benefits.
Everyone has different methods that work for them. Some people find that getting out of bed and having tea helps them fall back asleep when they return, rather than staying in bed tossing and turning.
In summary, whether during meditation or daily life, using intentional, mindful phrases can help guide your thoughts and actions, leading to a more effective and calming practice. Give it a try and see how it works for you!