Meditation Ideas for Neurodivergent People
In October of this year, I finally received my ADHD diagnosis. While the diagnosis was a relief, it also made me frustrated and sad. For many years, ADHD has been the unnamed source of sensory issues and my learning disability. Having to come to terms with the ways I could have had an easier time earning my degrees, not to mention just being a functioning human is not a fun pastime.
ADHD is a less typical cognitive variation of Neurodivergence. Other variations we know of are Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc. If you’re Neurodivergent, this can show up in ways we don’t always expect, such as our spiritual practice. Meditation was so difficult for me to do by myself. Someone else had to coach me in a class or through audio. So when presented with an opportunity to do a Meditation 30 Day Challenge, I decided to use the time trying different techniques and elements to see what worked for me.
Many of us feel ashamed because we think meditation doesn’t work for us. I thought you had to completely empty your mind. Yoga was the first time I learned that you could let thoughts pass through without judgment. What if I allowed the same in the way I set myself up to meditate?
As people, we all access our senses in different ways. For example, my partner needs to touch things to feel a connection, whereas I respond strongly to smells and sight. We are both Neurodivergent and have to channel in opposite ways to each other.
First, consider your five senses; which do you use the most and which are neglected? Using myself as an example in order of use: Smell, Hearing, Sight, Taste, Touch.
Once you have determined which senses are more neglected for you, ask yourself why. Not from a place of shame, but from a place of curiosity. The next time I went to meditate, I used extra soft clothing and blankets around me, and I noticed how open my body reacted to a different experience.
Some Questions to Ask Yourself:
Are my surroundings conducive to what I am trying to accomplish?
Do I meditate better with my eyes open or closed?
Do I need to move my body or be still?
Is it better when I am outside or inside?
When I started my challenge, I went outside a few times and sat facing the sun. I put in headphones and sat still like I always do, but I held a crystal in my hands to help me channel. I literally felt my Body and Spirit being charged. Sitting on the ground rooted me into a new place of connection I had been lacking and to this day it was one of my most meaningful and rejuvenating meditations.
Depending on the day and my level of sensory overload, sometimes I need to mindfully gaze as I meditate. Some ideas are:
Flame Watching (either through a visual or lighting a candle)
Soothing visuals - Google Zen Visuals on Youtube for some great ones
Touching stones, water, etc. (sometimes I’ll use Moon Water I have collected)
Aromatherapy, (energetic cleansing of your space)
Mindful eating (no technology so I can fully focus on taste)
Spray your hands with a calming scent, put your hands to your face, inhale deeply,
shutting your eyes to condition your body to know it’s time to meditate.
Not every meditation session will be mind-blowing, and your needs may vary depending on the day. Allowing yourself to be a fluid individual for practice is enough. You’re already winning by making the time to do it.
I hope some of these tips, at the very least, lead you down a rabbit hole of trying out-of-the-box ideas to support your practice. If you learn any new ones I have not mentioned let me know over @catwithdacards.