Just a few days ago I was talking to a guy I know who seeks my advice now and again, and I brought something to his attention that I thought he might be interested in.
About six years ago I started meditating, and overall it has really helped me. I didn’t get the hang of it right away, but after a while I got to the point where I usually do it for about 20 minutes at a time. That said, I don?t meditate every day. In fact, this year I?ve probably meditated less than in any of the previous yJust a few days ago I was talking to a guy I know who seeks my advice now and again, and I brought something to his attention that I thought he might be interested in.
About six years ago I started meditating, and overall it has really helped me. I didn’t get the hang of it right away, but after a while I got to the point where I usually do it for about 20 minutes at a time. That said, I don?t meditate every day. In fact, this year I?ve probably meditated less than in any of the previous years since I started meditating. (A story for another day). Overall, I?d say I?ve been mediating formally this year about once every two weeks, sometimes even less than that, although I have been doing some informal meditating?a minute here, a minute there?all year.
Because the idea of meditating for 20 minute-stretches sometimes feels like too much for me–and therefore hinders my motivation to meditate at all–for quite some time I?ve wanted to learn and practice a short, though more formal, meditation that I can do anywhere. I finally stumbled upon one last week, and I?ve already done it several times, with pleasing results. And I thought that this guy I know might like to try it, as it only takes about 3 minutes, and can be done anywhere.
When I started talking to him about this mediation?over the last two years we?ve talked about the possibility of him trying meditation?something occurred to me in one of those [i]aha![/i] moments. I think one of the reasons he has been hesitant to meditate, or even try to meditate, is because of the word [i]meditate[/i].
Ooooh. [i]Meditate[/i]. What does it mean? It sounds so mystical and new-agey know-it-all out there, something that only certain wack-ado types of people try. So then I suggested that, rather than the word [i]meditate[/i], that he consider thinking of it as [i]quiet time[/i]. Which is what meditation is all about. Sitting quietly. There?s no real magic to it in terms of process. There are numerous types of mediations, just like you can exercise physically in any number of ways, but for the most part there’s no big trick to it.
Mediation is simply the act of sitting still and quiet, letting your thoughts also become still. To let the thoughts in your mind, the anxiety in your heart and the tension in your muscles relax.
That?s it.
Sure, there are more layers to it than that, like there are more layers to an exercise regimen as you get more advanced, but essentially meditation is just quiet time.
[i]Quiet time.[/i]
And when I said those words to him?[i]quiet time[/i]?the look on his face changed. His body language changed. He went from being intellectually curious?but distant and cautious?to more relaxed and engaged. Suddenly he realized that meditation?[i]quiet time[/i]?is an activity that he can understand. He gets what [i]quiet time [/i]means. It?s an activity he can see himself doing. It suddenly became real and tangible for him.
And so we did. And then again a few days later.
I honestly believe that meditation is good for the mind, body and spirit. When I [i]meditate[/i]?when I have [i]quiet time[/i]?it helps renew my commitment to meditate more often. It?s like running a car battery. Having it on helps it stay charged.
But if the word [i]meditation[/i] makes you want to not [i]meditate[/i], then forget that word. It?s just a label. Instead, how about thinking of it [i]quiet time[/i].
For five minutes?that?s all, just five minutes?just sit still in a chair. No TV. No radio. No Internet. No phone. No blackberry …
Just five minutes.
Close your eyes.
Breath in … breathe out.
Breathe in … breathe out.
And let your mind come to a rest.
Meditation?[i]quiet time[/i]?can really help us recharge, allow us to feel more relaxed. So if [i]meditation[/i] seems too out there, too hard to grasp or relate to, then just think of it as [i]quiet time.[/i]
Just a few minutes a day … just a few minutes …
p.s. if you are interested in the 3-minutes of quiet time I noted above, I posted the guided experience–that can be done anywhere–under the Positive Thinking section of the Message Board.
Post edited by: rcolchamiro, at: 2007/10/03 11:19
Post edited by: rcolchamiro, at: 2007/10/04 19:36
