M is for Meditate by Conlee Ricketts #atozchallenge

is for Meditate

Ugh. Oh how I wish I could do it “right.”  I know that’s silly because to put rules on something so wonderful as taking a moment to feel still defeats the whole purpose of feeling still.  So…stop putting rules on it.

I don’t want to offend any Masters of Meditation here with my technique (if you can call it that) but if you’re anything like me—a beginner and a perfectionist—then the mere fact that you’re “not doing it right” makes you stop all together and walk away (for years possibly) because you would rather not try at all than to fail.  There.  I said it. That is me in a nutshell.

I have decided that mindset is effing stupid.  In celebration of my decision I have once again picked up my practice of sitting still and listening to my breathing.  Guess how many days I did it last week…two. Yes, it makes me sad that I didn’t do it every day.  The week before I reached three days, and the week before I went back to work I hit six days!  So it may look like I’m getting worse but I’m really just figuring out my new schedule.

My goals are 10-20 minute “sits” four days a week for now.  I typically do it in the morning during the time before I need to make sure my daughter is up for school, but after I shower and have some coffee.  I sit on my bed, lean against my pillow against the wall, eyes usually closed, trying to be straight, cross my legs—sometimes—hands in my lap or on my knees.  I take a big breath and let out a huge sigh.  This gets me started because my ability to hear that giant sigh reminds me to stop listening to my crazy mind talk.  I listen to my breathing as long as I can still hear it before my mind starts talking again which might be 5 seconds or it might be 20.  Then when I realize I’m “talking” again I switch over to “saying” In…Out…In…Out…alongside my breathing until that gets boring, and then I try listening to my breathing again.  That works for a bit then I’m back to In and Out all over again.

This process goes on until I scream inside and my eyes pop open.  I usually laugh and try not to beat myself up about it.  Some is always more than none.

Sometimes I try again at night when I’m lying down getting ready for bed.  It even puts me to sleep occasionally so I don’t know if I can really count that as meditation, but I’m not following rules anymore right?

Good luck everyone.  I hope your moments of sitting quietly can pull your stay pieces all back to center and give you a sturdy start to your day!

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