Body Love: Yoga, Health and Fitness: The M Word: Meditation

That's right: meditation. That thing everyone knows you're supposed to do and no one ever wants to do.

I am in one of the busiest times of my life. So many people I care about and want to spend time with, relationships in transition, a career that is unfolding and which I am consciously building step by step, continued education, a house that needs work, bills that must be paid, major health decisions looming, discussions about plans for the future. Meanwhile down in the underground there's a current that rolls through it all: my step-father has dementia and my mother is struggling in pain and sorrow, overwhelmed with it.

When I allow myself to access that deeper layer, I find a wadded up ball of rage, sadness and fear in myself, which sharpens into fangs and claws when my equilibrium is threatened.

Here's a secret: my equilibrium is always threatened.

In order to keep myself from shredding my world around me lately, I have relied utterly on my meditation practice. I thought it might be worth sharing some of my thoughts from my practice to help others on the path. My next few blog entries will cover different aspects of meditation practice, from the nuts and bolts (So, what the heck am I supposed to do exactly when I meditate?) to dealing with those pesky thoughts that come up.

Right now, I have a suggestion for you if you want to begin. Pick a small, set amount of time?my vote would be no fewer than 5 minutes and no more than 10? to do every day.

Why so small when everyone knows how good it is for you to do more than that?

Because you need to begin. And if you think you have to begin with an hour, or even 20 minutes, you won't.

Five minutes is doable. There's no room for excuses.

Set a timer. I like using one that has a nice sound to it. You can find apps for your cell phone, or buy an actual timer. Sometimes I use the kitchen timer but I don't like the beeping that brings me out. I really recommend using something that has a sound that pleases you.

Don't allow yourself to do more than the time you've set yourself. This is sort of a sneak attack on your brain chemistry. It's how you turn a stick into a carrot. At first, your self talk might be something along the lines of, "Oh okay, I guess I can do 5 minutes. I don't really want to but I promised and it's a short time, and in 5 minutes I can get back to the laundry (or the tv or my sweetie or my Scrabble game.)"

After a while you'll start feeling good after you meditate, so when the timer goes off, you'll be sad. "Wait!" You'll say, "I'm just getting into the groove! I don't want to stop now!"

Stop anyway. You want to build up that feeling of loss when you have to stop so that you look forward to the next time you get to meditate.

If you can, do it at the same time every day. If you can't, don't worry about it, but schedule it on your calendar or to do list so that you have something to trigger you until you build the habit.

If you miss a day, don't berate yourself. Here's my conversation with myself when I miss a scheduled time: "Autumn, I'm so sorry that I didn't plan my day carefully enough and you missed your meditation. I promise I will make the time tomorrow." Keep your promise.

If you miss a day, don't double up your time the next day to make up for it. Yesterday's plan is gone. There is only today's plan which is only for that set amount of time. There is always another opportunity to do right by yourself.

Next time: Nuts and Bolts! (Meanwhile, I have a friend who offers an idea for meditation with each blog post at Bramblethornstudios.com. Good thoughts! Check her out.)

copyright 2012 J. Autumn Needles

Source: http://bodyloveyoga.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-m-word-meditation.html

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