In a world gone mad, meditation keeps me sane…most of the time anyway. My meditation practice is a grounding force in my life and something I look forward to every day. Initially, taking the time to put down the never-ending to-do list, even for just twenty minutes, seemed impossible and I was anxious about what I viewed as “wasting time”. Meditation does not mean taking a nap or just “vegging out”. It is an active process. While meditating I am present in the moment, aware and awake and I am not being controlled by random thoughts or circumstances outside of myself. As the benefits of meditation began to materialize in my life I quickly got over my anxiety
My meditation practice is a grounding force in my life and something I look forward to every day. Initially, taking the time to put down the never-ending to-do list, even for just twenty minutes, seemed impossible and I was anxious about what I viewed as “wasting time”. Meditation does not mean taking a nap or just “vegging out”. It is an active process. While meditating I am present in the moment, aware and awake and I am not being controlled by random thoughts or circumstances outside of myself. As the benefits of meditation began to materialize in my life I quickly got over my anxiety
about it.
When I meditate I am telling the universe that I have time, not a lack thereof. I have built meditation into my daily schedule. I meditate at the same time every evening and it is just part of what I do now. I begin with some breath work which quiets my system and as I get connected to universal life force energy I can feel my being expanding. For me, meditating is an allowing or yielding to. I am not trying to do anything or get anywhere, I just am. When my mind wanders or I start to follow the thread of a thought, I don’t resist it. To resist it would be to give it more energy. What you resist, persists. I simply allow the thought to drift through my mind like a cloud passing by in the sky. I am not attached to the cloud and I remain unattached to my thought. I find at the end of the meditation I am calm, focused and grounded. I feel much more expansive so the rest of my evening tasks generally flow very smoothly and effortlessly. Meditation serves to help me unwind from the day, relaxes me and helps the creative process.
As part of my practice I listen to a meditation CD every night at bedtime. It is a CD meant to be used in this fashion as it works on a subconscious, subliminal level. I find it very helpful in promoting a good night’s rest as it stops the “monkey mind” from chattering and keeping me awake. I also find that whenever I am putting my focused attention on a project or activity it is a form of meditation and the “monkey mind” is again quieted. For instance, walking, gardening, painting or even riding my bike feel like a moving meditation to me.
My advice regarding meditation is to keep it simple. Don’t worry about doing it perfectly. There are many books, CDs, online guides and YouTube videos available on the subject. Find a practice that works for you and then “Just Do It”. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you and the benefits will astound you.
Peace
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. —Unknown
