Morning Meditation

"You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour." - Zen Proverb

I have always struggled with breath-based sitting meditations. I settle into stillness as best I can, connect to my breath, and then my thoughts float, sailing through my mind without containment. Which to an extent I find beneficial-- it's like having shower thoughts outside the shower--but that style of meditation rarely makes me feel like I am strengthening anything in my mind. It is more of a relaxation exercise than a discipline.

So I decided to explore. Part of the yoga teacher training I completed was an introduction to different types of meditation. I tried mantras, both in English (my native tongue) and Sanskrit. I tried cross-legged on the floor, seated in a chair, lying down, and walking. I tried Metta meditations on cultivating compassion, mindfulness meditations, sensory awareness meditations. Some days I thought I had nailed it, and others I left frustrated and unsure of what I was even trying to do.

Where I have landed is that all these methods are good for someone, or for something. There are techniques I connect with, and others I don't. Meditative activities (knitting, woodworking, painting, a walk through your neighborhood) can also be soothing and a fluid way to incorporate mindfulness almost as a byproduct. I am still trying to find the best way to incorporate an intentional meditation practice into my day.

Currently, my alarm goes off in the morning, I roll over to turn it off, grab my mala beads (a handy meditation tool to ground in physical movement), start a sand timer, and meditate right in bed for 15 minutes. I have found this to be a lovely, gentle entry into my day. Most days. Some days I am half asleep. Others I skip entirely. Like all of yoga, it's a practice, and though I try to have discipline, I also try to have grace for my journey.

So if you find yourself wishing you had time for meditation but carving out time seems impossible, take a look at your current routines. Where are you already finding peace and mindfulness and how can you deepen that? Where can you add an extra five minutes to just breath? Maybe it's simply taking a beat before entering or leaving home, or taking three deep breaths to check in with your inner self. No time is ever wasted and you are always worth the time, however you find it.

And if a certain method doesn't work for you, try something else! Stay curious, and have fun exploring.