It’s funny, if you ask someone if they would like to experience more peace in their life, their response is typically a resounding YES. However, if you ask that same person if they would consider trying meditation, their immediate reaction is most often NO.
Why is it that?
Even though there is a 100% proven method of increasing peace, promoting deeper sleep, improving focus, and a laundry list of other powerful benefits, we say no to it?
What if I told you that one of the main reasons many people say no to meditation is because is too simple?
Have you ever lost your car keys and spent a half hour looking for them? You’re turning over couch cushions, looking in the bathroom, checking in the cupboards (why would they be in there), re-tracing steps, thinking, analyzing, furrowing your brow and shaking your head. You begin to get frantic but then you pause, take a breath and sit down. As you sit down, you feel a bulge in your pocket, a sudden and deep wave of relief comes over you as you realize the keys have been there this whole time. As you feel the weight of the world coming off of your shoulders, you laugh out loud thinking “how could I have missed that”.
Our mind often over complicates things. Developing a practice of relaxing the mind prepares us for when something potentially stressful happens, like losing your keys before an appointment, meeting with your boss, or having your car break down. If we are practiced in relaxing our mind we can easily let go of unnecessary chatter and are able to quickly move to a solution.
Here’s how to practice:
1. Prepare a timer for 5 minutes.
2. Go to a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
3. Sit comfortably with a straight spine.
4. Take 5 deep breaths.
5. Start your timer, close your eyes, and begin witnessing your inhales and exhales.
During this time, thoughts will come. It is common for your head to feel noisy. Some thoughts will be pleasant, some will be unpleasant, some will produce strong feelings of desire while others will produce strong feelings of wanting to run away.
This is the process and it is totally natural. Training your mind means to witness when a thought or feeling has a hold of you, coming back to the breath in the present moment, and letting it go. Remember that thoughts and feelings can sometimes be “sticky”, so no matter what comes up in meditation, let it go and come back to the breath.
Try extending your practice by one minute a day until you get to twenty minutes. You may feel unique pulls to quit with each new minute added. When it gets challenging, I advise to simply stay with the practice regardless what you think about it.
Cultivating this habit can be truly life changing. If you feel you could benefit from a more positive mindset, enhanced ability to focus,and improved mental health then why not take the plunge and give meditation atry
Besides your stress, what do you have to lose? I wish you the highest joy, now and always.
Namaste.
