Mindfulness on the Move: A Subway Meditation for the Urban Dweller

The NYC subway system: a dance of movement, echoing sounds, and the synchronized pulse of a The Big Apple's heartbeat. Amidst the urban jungle's clatter, could there be an oasis of calm?

Today’s fast-moving world does not often allow us the luxury of extended solitude or traditional meditation settings. We rush from home to work and back again, submerged in our thoughts and worries, rarely pausing to breathe genuinely, to connect within. But what if the bustling subway could become your unexpected sanctuary of serenity?

For many, trains are the metal vehicle that shuttles us from point A to point B, rife with the clamor and rush of the largest metropolis in the US. Yet, as a mindfulness meditation teacher and Cloud and IT tech entrepreneur vying for balance in work and health, I've found it to be my unexpected oasis, a sanctuary where I can reclaim awareness of the present moment and my connection to the larger self, right within the middle of the urban hustle.

Personal Journey into Stillness 

Standing on the Roosevelt Avenue train station platform waiting for the E or F train into Manhattan to arrive, my mind frequently wanders ahead of my schedule, and I will notice that I have built a mental tower which separates my mind from the awareness of my body long before the workday has begun. I am already running checklists in my head, going over projects, worrying about deadlines and budgets. When I wake up to this pattern within myself, I tend to work on anchoring myself back into the present moment again. I will consciously choose to transform my waiting time into a mindful ritual and create an interlude of attentiveness and intention because I want to maintain my balance and extend the momentum I gained as a result of my 20-minute morning practice on the cushion at home.

I will breathe deeply, letting go of anticipations and instead, scan through my body — what does the shoulder carrying my workbag feel like? What sounds do I hear? How do my spine and back muscles adjust to standing on the tile floor of the platform and what are the sensations present? This will help me with coming back to the here and now and diminishes unhelpful thought streams.

If I am lucky enough to secure a seat after I have boarded the train, I will often delve deeper into meditation, sometimes listening to a recorded session guided by experts like Tara Brach or by being simply silent and following the rhythm of my breath. 

Strap Hanger Rituals

When standing in the train, gripping the metallic pole, I tend to focus more on my body's sensations - the firm grip of my hands, the grounding of my feet. My thought streams tend to slow down as I will inhabit my body fully, feeling each muscle’s response to the train’s motion.

A Step-By-Step Guide to Mindfulness on the Rails

To any mindfulness practitioner looking for unconventional, yet attainable, ways of imbuing mindfulness into their busy schedules, here is how you can cultivate presence and calm in transience while standing in the subway. This guide is based upon best practices I have learnt as a mindfulness meditation teacher:

1. Embrace Your Space: Find a spot where you can maintain balance and personal space. Create personal space as possible — Practice works best if the train isn’t excessively crowded.

2. Belongings & Boundaries: Stay mindful of your belongings and those around you. This adds a layer to your mindful practice—cultivating awareness without anxiety. Always keep your eyes open and remain poised and alert.

3. Intentional Focus: Set an intention to maintain a gentle focus on your breathing, following every inhale and exhale, as the train rhythmically sways.

4. Breath as an Anchor: Direct your awareness to where you feel your breath most easily inside the body. This could be in the back of the throat, the nostrils, the chest, the belly and so on and let it be a steady companion amidst the changing scenery. Foster intention and attention towards the movement and rhythm of breath with gentleness — Let the breath's flow be your kind and curious anchor.

5. Guided Body Scan: After having focused on the breath for 3-5 deep in and out breaths or more, start a body scan. Begin at the crown of the head, bring your attention slowly down to your feet. Smile inwardly as you touch upon key body parts and areas of attention, bypassing any zones of discomfort. Offer a moment of silent acknowledgment to each body part you are focusing on. Accepting the body as it is right now.

6. Grounding Through Feet: Feel the connection of your feet to the floor of the train. Sensing the flow of subtle movements which keep you anchored in the present.

7. Breath Return: After your body scan, bring your awareness back to your breath, now perhaps noticing a sense of increased relaxation, presence, and awareness in the here and now. Spending 5-10 minutes or however long you have until you reach a certain stop, returning your focus to each breath.

8. Heart Center Connection: Finish your practice by focusing on your heart space, infusing your meditation with kindness towards yourself and sending well wishes to others you have interacted with prior to the commute or whom you will meet with after. End the session with sending a smile to your heart, nurturing self-compassion and some kind words towards yourself.
   

The subway might not seem like the ideal place for practice. Yet it's here, in these moments of transition, that we can reclaim fragments of tranquility. It isn’t about reaching perfect peace or escaping reality. It’s about discovering pockets of mindfulness that can echo through our day. Centering during our commute is about a dedication to uncovering calm amidst chaos, embracing presence in impermanence, and cultivating an awareness that transforms the daily grind into a more thoughtful journey.

So if you are a city dweller looking to find a bit more calm within the urban chaos, perhaps opt next time to not only let the train transport your body, but to allow it to propel you into a mindfulness journey. For when we meditate in the most unlikely of places, we extend mindfulness beyond the cushion; we weave it into the fabric of our lives.