Ever feel like your brain's on overdrive, firing on all cylinders like Tech's speeder bike? We've all been there, trooper. Between to-do lists longer than a Loth-wolf's mane and distractions sharper than Hunter's vibroblade, maintaining focus can feel like navigating a Separatist blockade blindfolded. But fear not, soldier! Meditation offers a path to serenity, and with a few tweaks, it can work for even the most, ahem, unorthodox minds.
If you haven't seen the overview of the meditation styles, please feel free to flip back to this previous blog post about neuro meditation styles for a minute. Of course, I had to geekify it using the titular characters from the Bad Batch.
When I think about meditation - especially focus meditation - I think about Crosshair (no spoilers here, but he has quite the arc). As a sniper, his function is to be unseen and unheard; laser-focused on a single target at a time. If this is the way you work, this post is going to be pretty redundant for you, because that is probably a natural skill you've developed.
For others though, they find the idea of sitting still and focusing can be daunting to a lot of people - especially neurodivergent types who often have some of the busiest brains. Inspired by "Meditation Interventions to Rewire the Brain" by Jeff Tarrant (affiliate link),* this guided meditation welcomes the rest of the types: Wrecker, Tech, Echo, and all their neurodivergent kin who start meditation with the "I can't..." assumption.
Focus Meditation Process:
Drop into Your Zen Zone
Find a quiet corner, settle in like you're prepping for a good recon nap (eyes closed or open, your call), and take a few deep breaths. Feel the tension melt away with each exhale, even if your armor creaks in protest. If parts of you (emotionally or physically) are uncomfortable, try to take slow and deliberate movements to alleviate this.
Set a timer - and a reasonable one at that. Beginning meditators don't sit for an hour in this state. It takes practice. For many, 10 minutes might be a more reasonable goal. For others, 1 minute is perfectly fine. There's no magic number for mediation. It starts with what you can do... plus one tiny stretch past that. Repeat infinitely.
Acknowledge the Noise:
Don't try to fight the mental chatter. Instead, observe it. You can even pretend to do a scan and see what comes. Are parts of you wanting to charge and get out of here? Laugh? Cry? If feelings of hunger, or thoughts of "Oh I forgot to do..." come up, just see it. Permit yourself not to act on it. Unless it's truly an emergency, you will have time to attend to it when we're done. Acknowledge them without judgment, letting them drift by like asteroids in the void.
Neurodivergent tip: If the mental noise is too overwhelming, try anchoring yourself to something physical, like the weight of something around you or the steady beat of your heart.
Find Your Anchor:
Shift your focus to your breath. Feel the cool air enter your nose and the warmth filling your lungs. Imagine it calming you (Star Wars fans can picture a bacta tank here). Count each exhale from one to five, restarting if your mind wanders.
Neurodivergent tip: Counting might feel restrictive. So visualize your breath as a calming pulse of blue light expanding and contracting within you.
Expand Your Awareness:
Widen your focus, keeping your breath as your anchor. Notice sounds around you, but don't engage. Imagine them like distant noises - a faraway battle – acknowledge them, then let them fade. Do the same with bodily sensations, like the weight of your weapon or the thrum of the ship's engines.
Neurodivergent tip: Sensory overload can be rough. If it gets dicey, focus on one calming sensation, like the steady hum of something around you (or provide your own meditation music). Or get in touch with the feel of an object around you.
Visualize Your Focus:
Picture your focus firing up. Direct it towards your mission objective - what you will be doing when you're done. See it burning bright, pushing away distractions like Wrecker clearing a path through droids. Hold this image for a few breaths, feeling your concentration sharpen.
Neurodivergent tip: Is visualization tricky? Not all of us have the power of pictures in our heads. Some of us are wordsmiths. Or mental painters. Describe your ideal state of focus internally. Words like "clear," "present," or "unflappable" work wonders.
Gently Return:
Slowly bring your awareness back to the present moment. Wiggle your fingers and toes. Take a few final deep breaths, integrating the feeling of focused calm. Remember, meditation is a training exercise, not a victory lap. Be kind to yourself if your mind wanders. Just reel it back.
Remember, soldier:
Meditation is a practice, not a one-time op. Be patient, even if your progress feels slower than a loaded-down AT-AT. With regular practice, this focus meditation can become your personal training montage, rewiring your brain for laser-sharp concentration, both on and off the battlefield.
Bonus Tip: Meditation apps offer different styles, like guided meditations led by a calming voice (think Obi-Wan, not Pong Krell). Find what works for you, even if it's an old Republic holovid of a serene waterfall.
Now get out there and focus like a true Bad Batch trooper! Remember, even the best clones need a mental recharge sometimes. May the Force be with you… and your focus.
This week I'll be posting some other meditations that embody each of these, so keep checking back!
*If you want to check out more about these, find Jeff Tarrant's book Meditation Interventions to Rewire the Brain (2017). This is an affiliate link to my Amazon account. I may receive some small compensation for purchasing it through this link, but that's not why I link to this book. It's one I have in my personal and professional library and I use it in both dimensions.
Disclaimer:Â This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice.
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